Neglected Validities: Critical Gaps in Early Childhood Assessments

• In Event: 43.046 - Early Childhood Assessments

Abstract

Quality assessment is an essential component of early education. The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing provide benchmarks for evaluating the validity of inferences made from assessment results (AERA et al., 2014). According to the Standards, test developers should document information related to five aspects of validity: test content, response processes, internal structure, relationships to other variables, and consequences of test use. The present study examines information related to these five aspects of validity among 415 early childhood assessments reviewed in the Mental Measurements Yearbook. The results of the study identify key aspects of validity that appear to be neglected in the field of early childhood assessments.

Authors

• Katie Barghaus, University of Pennsylvania

• John Fantuzzo, University of Pennsylvania

• Katharine Buek, University of Pennsylvania

• Dominic F Gullo, Drexel University

• Amanda S Haber, Boston University