Authentic Assessment Practices for Supporting Child Development During the Preschool-to-Kindergarten Transition: A Multiyear Comparison of Parental and Teacher Ratings

Transitions from preschool to kindergarten can be problematic for children and their families when programs prepare children for kindergarten in groups rather than through an individualized process. Another drawback with current transition practices is that parents and families may lack assessment tools that can provide insights into their perceptions of their child’s growth and development. A multiyear study evaluated the interrater agreement between parent and teacher ratings for preschoolers who were transitioning to kindergarten. The goal of this study was to evaluate parent and teacher evaluations of child developmental and academic abilities across eight domains using authentic assessment practices. There were 53 parents and educators who formed dyads from rural Head Start programs across two years. Data collection was conducted with the third edition of the Assessment, Evaluation, & Programming System transition tools for parents and professionals in the spring for preschoolers moving to kindergarten in the fall. Results draw attention to some areas where parents and professionals have the greatest difference in the assessment. This study has implications for individualized authentic assessment practices for evaluating child development and learning during transition to kindergarten that can support collaboration between families and their schools.