Good morning Caroline,
I am happy to share my thoughts on your question, along with some additional thoughts on Standard 4: Assessment and resources for this topic.
First, the Topic Area - 4B: Using Appropriate Assessment Methods and 4B1, 4B2 & 4B3 is specific to Child Portfolios for Assessment purposes.. So the first question is asking if YOUR program's practices align with these assessment item (Do you do this?)
- Does your program use portfolios to assess the children?
- Do you document children's work through the use of a portfolio and does this portfolio provide you with clear ideas for curriculum development and daily planning?
Have you already taken a look at the Standards and Assessment eBook, at Standard 4: Assessment, pages 44 -46? If not, this might help give more clarity as well. It talks about norm referenced & standardized tests, as well as informal methods, such as observations, checklists, rating scales and work sampling.
There are more great resources around assessment on the NAEYC website - type 'Assessment' into the search bar and relevant books, articles and eBooks around the subject come up. (If you've already done this then you know LOTS of resources come up, but the filter can help you narrow down the list to make it less 'overwhelming').
So back to your question.....if your program DOES use children portfolios as an assessment method then 4B1, 4B2 & 4B3 are relevant to you, and thus should be rated.
As far as your question about 4B3 and if ADHD or anxiety qualify as a disability, the definition is included in the additional guidance at the bottom of the Assessment Item. (Also, on the front page of a Classroom Observation tool are other examples of Disabilities)
Disabilities: Physical or mental health conditions that require special education services such as early intervention or individualized supports.
Based on this guidance and definition, do your children with ADHD or anxiety receive special education services? If they do NOT, then 4B3 could be rated N/A.
If they DO receive services such as early intervention or individual support, then HOW do you make the children's portfolios relevant and meaningful to them? I would ask....Do the disabilities impact assessment through the use of portfolios? Do you make adjustments to the way you collect 'information'? (utilizing photos, prompting, extra time, more informal setting, input from their therapists, etc). The evidence you provide then for 4B3 in your Classroom Portfolio needs to demonstrate specifically how you make children's portfolios relevant and meaningful for these children.
This was a 'short quick long' answer for a very in-depth topic! I hope this was helpful and remember you can always call Program Support at NAEYC with questions. (1-800-424-2460)
Also, feel free to reach out if you want to discuss more,
Best,
Joan Mendel,
Early Childhood Consultant
Specializing in Supporting Programs in the NAEYC Accreditation Process
www.joanmendelconsulting.com------------------------------
Joan Mendel,
Early Childhood Consultant
Specializing in Supporting Programs
in the NAEYC Accreditation Process
joanmendelconsulting@gmail.comwww.joanmendelconsulting.com------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 12-01-2022 10:26 AM
From: Caroline Clark
Subject: Reaccrediation Criteria 4B.3
Hi. I am looking for help on criteria 4B.3. The description is "If child portfolios are used as an assessment method, show or explain how you make it meaningful and relevant for children with disabilities." The sample portfolio used an example of someone who entered N/A indicating that they did not have any children with special needs in that class. Does anyone have any ideas. Also, what is their definition of a disability? Would something like ADHD or anxiety qualify. Thank you for any ideas or help with this!
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