Statistical Importance

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This site is dedicated to providing parents and professionals resources to help children learn.

Position Statement
NAEYC believes that the most important consideration in evaluating and using standardized tests is the utility criterion: The purpose of testing must be to improve services for children and ensure that children benefit from their educational experiences. Decisions about testing and assessment instruments must be based on the usefulness of the assessment procedure for improving services to children and improving outcomes for children. The ritual use even of "good tests" (those that are judged to be valid and reliable measures) is to be discouraged in the absence of documented research showing that children benefit from their use.

Guidelines created by NAEYC to enhance the utility of standardized tests and guide early childhood professionals in decisions about testing.

	Standardized tests must be reliable and valid.
	Decisions that have a major impact on children should be based on multiple sources of information and never on a single test score.
	It is the professional responsibility of administrators and teachers to evaluate standardized tests.
	It is the professional responsibility of administrators and teachers to be knowledgeable about testing and interpretation and to report them accurately.
	Tests to assess achievement and/or evaluate a program should be based on how well it matches the objectives of the specific program.
	Testing of young children must be conducted by individuals who are qualified to administer such tests.
	Testing of young children must be sensitive to individual diversity

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