EARLY CHILDHOOD
EQUITY INITIATIVE

Classroom Assessment

The Early Childhood Equity Classroom Assessment tool is a four-page document that covers the major areas considered by ECEI observers when documenting the practices regarding equity issues in an early childhood classroom. Those areas include staffing, classroom interactions, classroom environment, children’s books, children’s toys and materials, classroom rules and processes, language usage, parent dialogue and inclusion and community involvement. Items covering a wide-range of possible issues and interaction that may occur in the classroom are offered for consideration and exploration with a rating scale of occurrences.

The preferred model is to have two trained, ECEI observers observe and rate the same classroom, for the same two-hour activity period with each observer taking notes and scoring separately. Following the observation, the observers share their comments and ratings with each other and combine their observation results into one document that has written comments and explanations added to the four pages of ratings. The categories covered in these comments are general comments, best practices observed and issues to consider.

A follow-up session with the classroom teaching staff is scheduled to go over the assessment ratings and comments. This session is considered an opportunity to give direct feedback about what occurred during the observation, offer reinforcement for “best practices” observed, raise issues about areas that did not appear to be addressed in the classroom and to answer any questions regarding the equity issues raised in the tool. The ECEI staff also offers future technical assistance to the program staff and parents to learn more about how to address these issues with children, parents and each other.

Compilation of the assessment results from Washington DC early childhood programs will be used in formulating the professional development agenda of the Initiative which will include workshops, materials and experiences that will be offered to parents, providers and administrators in the early childhood field.

Metro DC programs may call (202) 588-7248 or e-mail ECEI at ecei@teachingforchange.org to schedule a classroom observation. Those in other parts of the country who wish to receive training in the use of the tool and the tool itself, may request it on a fee-for service basis, as well.