Early Childhood assessment tools and resources

Happy, young children sitting on a bench.

Taking an “all-hands-on-deck" approach to Early Childhood support

Every child has their own personality and a unique set of strengths and needs that influence the challenges they can handle and support they’ll need when beginning their educational journey. Taking a collaborative approach to determining those factors will enable you to not only meet their needs effectively, but also provide the supports that will give them the best possible start. You play an invaluable role in your work with each of them as they grow, discover, learn, and succeed, and we are honored to partner with you as you build the foundation for success in school — and beyond.

Early Childhood Assessment Tools & Resources

Leading early childhood assessments

Bayley-4

Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development™, Fourth Edition (Bayley™-4) is the most comprehensive assessment tool for determining developmental delays in children. It assesses infant and toddler development across five scales: Cognitive, Language, Motor, Social–Emotional, and Adaptive Behavior and is accomplished by administering structured items to the child and engaging the caregiver to support responses where appropriate. The Social-Emotional and Adaptive Behavior scales are administered via caregiver questionnaire which allows them to share their own observations of the child’s abilities.

  • Age ranges: 16 days–42 months
  • B level

BSRA-4

Bracken Basic Concept Scale and Bracken School Readiness Assessment™ (BSRA-4™) consists of comprehensive measures used to assess children’s understanding of basic concepts across 10 subtests: colors, letters, numbers/counting, sizes/comparisons, shapes, self-/social awareness, directions/position, texture/material, quantity, and time/sequence. BSRA-4 is a brief version of the BBCS-4:R™ and can also be used as a school readiness indicator.

  • Age ranges: 3:00–7:11
  • B level
  • US Norms; Spanish Translation

DIAL-4

Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning™ is a developmental screening test that can flag potential delays. As a global screener, large groups of children can be assessed quickly and efficiently. It provides standard deviation and percentile cutoff points by chronological age at two-month intervals for total and area scores — Motor, Concepts, Language, Self-Help, and Social Development. Percentile ranks and standard scores are also provided. 

  • Age ranges 2:6–5:11
  • B level
  • Completion time: 30–45 minutes
  • English and Spanish 

ESI-3

The Early Screening Inventory™, Third Edition is individually administered and helps you determine if children are ready for the next level with a clear picture of visual-motor/adaptive, gross motor, language, cognition, and social-emotional skills. It’s an easy-to-use, individually administered development screener used to identify possible delays across the domains of English and Spanish-speaking students. Determine if children are ready for the next level with a clear picture of visual motor/adaptive; gross motor; language; cognition; and social-emotional skills. The ESI-3 can be used in school and early childhood settings and relies primarily on direct observation of the student.

  • Age ranges: 3:0–4:5 and 4:6–5:11
  • A level
  • Completion time: 15–20 minutes/child
  • English and Spanish 

CELF Preschool-3

Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals® Preschool-3 enables you to assess the language skills that are the building blocks needed for success in the classroom.

  • B level
  • Completion time: 15–20 minutes
  • English and Spanish versions

BOT-3

Bruininks-Oserestsky Test of Motor Proficiency™ measures a broad array of fine and gross motor skills. Eight core subtests and one supplementary subtest allow for in-depth assessment of motor abilities and identification of areas of relative strength.

  • Age ranges: 4:0–25:11
  • B level
  • Completion time: 50–90 minutes complete form

The children we serve

Young toddler girl looking at the camera.

Ages 0–3

Tools and resources geared specifically toward your youngest learners
Young students raising their hands in class.

Ages 3–6

Tools and resources geared specifically toward preschoolers
Teacher working with young students in the classroom.

Kindergarten readiness

Tools and resources to evaluate kindergarten readiness

Let’s keep the conversation going!

We are here to help you in any way we can to help you support your youngest learners. Sign up for the latest updates on Pearson’s Early Childhood tools. Have a question? Complete the “Contact a Rep” form and we will be in touch!

Stay connected Contact a rep

More ways to connect!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest early childhood product information, resources, and webinars. 

Pictogram of people connected