Measuring preschool cognitive growth while it's still happening: the Learning Express

Area of Science:

• Early Childhood Education
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Measurement

Background:

• Accurate preschool assessments are crucial for effective curriculum design and instructional adjustments.
• Existing tests often lack the breadth and sensitivity needed to track cognitive growth over short periods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present evidence for a new multiform, multiscale test designed for preschool cognitive development.
• To establish criterion-referenced benchmarks against national standards for key early learning domains.

Main Methods:

• Developed and field-tested a new assessment with 3433 Head Start children aged 3-5.5 years.
• Utilized item response theory and Bayesian estimation for score calibration.
• Employed multilevel and growth-curve modeling to analyze score variation and sensitivity.

Main Results:

• The test demonstrated high sensitivity to child growth over a school year, with minimal variation attributed to examiners.
• Nearly all score variability was linked to individual child performance.
• Scores were sensitive to growth when controlling for demographic and special needs factors.

Conclusions:

• The new assessment tool is suitable for repeated, brief measurements of preschool cognitive development.
• It offers a growth-sensitive evaluation aligned with national standards, aiding educators in curriculum and instruction.
• The psychometric properties support its use for monitoring individual child progress.