As children throughout Ohio head to kindergarten, each of them begins this important school year with different experiences and differing degrees of growth and development in the various aspects of learning and life. To help teachers understand where each of these young children is in their unique learning and social experiences, the state of Ohio has partnered with Maryland to create the Early Learning Assessment.
This assessment system is available to all preschool programs, according to the Ohio Department of Education, so they can “improve and support the growth and development of children.” Ohio’s Early Learning and Development Standards serve as the foundation of the Early Learning Assessment, and areas of each child’s growth and development measured by these comprehensive assessment tools include:
Teachers will use a process of observation and documentation to conduct this early childhood assessment. In other words, this will not involve your child sitting down to answer test questions or otherwise participate in a formal sit-down assessment. Instead, teachers will watch to see how each child interacts and performs as a natural part of his or her day.
This is a continuous process as the teachers observe the growth of each child’s learning and use what’s discovered to understand how to help that child to continue to learn in the most effective ways possible. Teachers and parents will then privately sit down to review findings and discuss how parents can continue to support their children’s development.
Here’s more information about the standards for the growth and development of children from kindergarten through third grade. This can help parents understand what student learning expectations are in Ohio.
The Ohio Department of Education also provides helpful resources for families, including the benefits of choosing a high-quality preschool for your child, including:
If you have even younger children in the home, there are helpful resources from the Department of Education that show how to make learning a natural part of growing up, with useful suggestions about how to interact with babies and toddlers.
If you’re looking for a quality preschool for your child, we invite you to check out the Horizon Education Centers nearest you!