LINKing Authentic Assessment & Early Childhood Intervention ─ Best Measures for Best Practices

How can early childhood professionals make informed decisions while selecting assessment materials that meet recommended practices? Use the NEW edition of this essential reference, the only book with professional ratings and reviews of 80 authentic, widely used assessment tools for children birth–8.

Completely revamped and even more user-friendly than its popular first edition, this must-have guide provides ratings of the qualities of assessment materials based on:

1. "consumer reports" and ratings from a survey of more than 1,000 professionals
2. detailed reviews from a panel of assessment experts
3. ratings drawn from the authors' own extensive expertise

Now with NEW features that make the ratings and reviews even more specific and useful, this book helps early childhood professionals

• evaluate how each assessment tool measures up to 8 critical standards: acceptability, authenticity, collaboration, evidence, multifactors, sensitivity, universality, and utility
• easily compare assessment tools, with At a Glance snapshots of good-quality measures and more in-depth Close-Ups of the top-rated assessments
• determine which assessments best meet specific needs of both program and child
• select tools compatible with the ones a program is already using
• link realistic, authentic assessments with effective interventions
• meet professional standards for recommended assessment practice
• deepen their knowledge and use of assessment standards for personally rating assessment tools

A key text for courses on assessment and the go-to assessment guide for every early childhood program, this invaluable book will help professionals ensure high-quality services for children with and without disabilities. Professionals will have the clear and concise guidance they need to choose appropriate assessment tools that link to their programs, help design interventions that meet children's individual needs, and give all young children the start in life they deserve.

What's New?

• Coverage of 31 additional assessment tools
• More detailed rubric for 8 critical assessment standards, for more refined and specific ratings
• Simple 5-icon rating system that lets users compare assessment tools at a glance
• All-new reviews and ratings for every tool
• Ratings from over 1,000 professionals to provide a substantial basis for evaluating each tool
• More in-depth close-ups of the top 31 assessment measures
• Examples of assessment form content

A featured book in our Successful Screening and Assessment Kit!

Stephen J. Bagnato, Ed.D., NCSP, is a developmental school psychologist and professor of pediatrics and psychology at the University of Pittsburgh Schools of Medicine and Education. Dr. Bagnato holds joint appointments in psychology in educatiopplied developmental psychology and clinical/developmental psychology at the university. He is Director of the Early Childhood Partnerships Program at the university and Core Interdisciplinary Leadership Team Faculty Member for The University, Community, Leaders, and Individuals with Disabilities (UCLID) Center at the University of Pittsburgh.

In 1986, Dr. Bagnato received the Braintree Hospital National Brain Injury Research Award for his research on the impact of interdisciplinary intervention for young children with acquired and congenital brain injuries. In 2001, he was recipient of the University of Pittsburgh Chancellor's Distinguished Public Service Award for the innovation and community impact of his consultation and research programs in early childhood partnerships, and in 2008, Dr. Bagnato received The Pennsylvania State University Excellence in Education Alumni Award for his career of innovative national and international service and research in education and psychology. Dr. Bagnato was recently appointed to Governor Rendell's Pennsylvania Early Learning Council, a task force to influence early childhood intervention policy and practices through systems integration efforts among education, public welfare, and health.

Dr. Bagnato specializes in authentic curriculum-based assessment and applied program evaluation research for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers at developmental risk and with neurodevelopmental disabilities and neurobehavioral disorders and their families. He has published more than 120 applied research studies and professional articles in early childhood care and education, early intervention, early childhood special education, school psychology, neurodevelopmental disabilities, and developmental neuropsychology.

Dr. Bagnato is Director of Early Childhood Partnerships (ECP; http://www.earlychildhoodpartnerships.com), a community-based consultation, training, technical assistance, and research collaborative between Children's Hospital and The UCLID Center at the University of Pittsburgh with community partners. For more than 10 years, Dr. Bagnato and his ECP program have been funded by the Heinz Endowments to conduct longitudinal research on the impact and outcomes of high-quality early childhood intervention programs on nearly 15,000 high-risk children in 30 school districts and regions across Pennsylvania (e.g., Early Childhood Initiative, Pre-K Counts).

Dr. Bagnato is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) in Division 16 and he received the 1995 Best Research Article Award from Division 16 of APA (with John T. Neisworth) for his "national study on the social and treatment invalidity of intelligence testing in early childhood intervention." He is coauthor of the professional "best practice" policy statements and standards on early childhood assessment, evaluation, and early intervention for The National Association of School Psychologists and the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children.

Dr. Bricker is the former director of the Early Intervention Program at the University of Oregon and a key developer of the ASQ and AEPSR systems. She has focused her professional career on the development and study of assessment systems and intervention approaches for young children with disabilities and those at risk for developing disabilities.

Dr. Bricker has been instrumental in the development of graduate-level personnel preparation programs that have produced professionals who are delivering quality services to thousands of young children and their families. She has published extensively in the field of early intervention.

John T. Neisworth, Ph.D., is Profe