Personnel Preparation in Early Childhood Special Education: Assessment as a Content Area

The purpose of this study was to examine how Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) teacher education programs include assessment content in their curriculum. Eighty programs that were listed as having ECSE programs in the National Directory of Special Education Personnel Preparation Programs (Geiger, 1983) were sent questionnaires. A total of 56 programs responded, for a response rate of 70%. Findings revealed that the majority of ECSE programs had separate assessment courses with a practicum component. Assessment topics receiving the greatest emphasis were instructional assessment for programming, appropriate assessment procedures, use of observational techniques, and communicating/interpreting test results.