Running Head: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

Classroom Assessment
Morgan L. Lahasky
Louisiana State University

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
Environmental Assessments
Environmental Assessments are useful tools that ensure educational programs are
developmentally appropriate and environmentally safe for the children enrolled. They are used
for monitoring trends and evaluating programs and services (Wortham, 2012). There are
multiple assessment tools used widely across the country. The Early Childhood Environmental
Rating Scale (ECERS) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC) Observable Criteria Tool provide checklists that confirm the program is suitable for
the education of developing children, including all aspects of the classroom: furniture, toys,
teaching methods, guidance strategies, outdoor play structures, etc. The Classroom Assessment
Scoring System (CLASS) is also a tool that ensures that the program is appropriate for
developing children, but focuses solely on child-teacher interaction. This allows for
improvements to be made so that the children can benefit to their fullest extent.
Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS)
General description. The ECERS tool is used to assess the different aspects of the
preschool classroom to make sure it is appropriate for the age group. It focuses on seven
standards: Space and Furnishings, Personal Care, Language-Reasoning, Activities, Interaction,
Program Structure, and Parents and Staff. These standards are further subdivided, where the
assessor then scores the subdivision on a scale from 1-7, one being Inadequate and seven being
Excellent. The sum of the subdivision scores is calculated, and then divided by the number of
subdivisions. The answer provided is the score for that standard. The scores for each of the
standards are then averaged to find a final score for the educator. This can all be found on the
Score Sheet attached in Appendix A.

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Reliability and Validity. When choosing an assessment tool, it is important to
research its reliability and validity. While the two seem like they can be interchangeable,
reliability refers to consistency, while validity focuses on accuracy. It is crucial that assessments
are both reliable and valid (Wortham, 2012, p. 70). The ECERS tool has been proven to be both
of these things, making it a dependable resource. It has been found that all 470 indicators
contain a percentage of agreement over 70%, proving the reliability due to its dependable
results and steadiness over time (Clifford and Reszka, 2010, p. 6-7). When proving validity,
professionals found that 78% of the elements included in the ECERS tool were of great
significance (Clifford and Reszka, 2010).
Recommendations. The most important part of an assessment is the
recommendations. After completing the score sheet, the assessor must go back and write
recommendations for how the teacher can improve. The teacher can now take the constructive
criticism from the assessor and implement the improvements for her classroom in the future.
After completing the ECERS assessment tool, the following changes are recommended (see
Appendix A for completed scored instrument).
Space and Furnishings.

4. Room Arrangement: The centers throughout the classroom should be arranged

so that the quiet centers are not near the noisier centers, instead of having Home
Living right next to the Quiet Center.

8. Gross Motor Equipment: Provide more equipment during time outside to

ensure that students are not waiting for long periods of time or getting bored of
the structure provided.

Language-Reasoning.

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18. Informal Use of Language: Teaching staff should ask children questions
which encourage them to give longer and complex answers, rather than one-wordanswer questions.

Activities.

20. Art: Provisions should be made for children to extend activity over several
days.

Interaction.

31. Discipline: Teaching staff should actively involve children in solving their
conflicts and problems, rather than just reprimanding for the mistaken behavior.
The staff should also use activities to help children understand social skills.
Reflection

ECERS provides a clear assessment of areas that are lacking and need improving in the
early childhood classroom. It gives a flat score that is an average of the various aspects that are
involved in the classroom. This flat score allows for an administrator to see the teachers
strengths and weaknesses. It enables the teacher to know where she needs to improve. While this
tool reflects the teachers abilities, it also assesses things that are outside of her controlthe
playground equipment, accessibility to a teachers lounge, furniture in the classroom, etc. This is
where I think the tool should be separated into two different scoresone for things in the
teachers control and one for items out of the teachers control. This way the teachers score is
not influenced by the criteria listed that she does not make decisions for.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Observable Criteria
Tool

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General description. The NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool is used for assessors to
determine whether or not a school should receive NAEYC Accreditation, which is a certification
that helps to build a stronger team of teachers, administrators, and families working together to
improve quality for children (Why, 2013). This observable criteria tool is used for both
preschool and Kindergarten children, and is divided into ten standards: Relationships,
Curriculum, Teaching, Assessment of Child Progress, Health, Teachers, Families, Community
Relationships, Physical Environment, and Leadership and Management. These standards are then
further divided into subdivisions. To utilize the tool, the assessor checks yes, no, not
applicable, or no opportunity, based on whether or not the evidence observed meets the
criterion provided.
Reliability and Validity. When choosing an assessment tool, it is important to
remember to research its reliability and validity. While the two seem like they can be
interchangeable, reliability refers to consistency, and validity focuses on accuracy. It is crucial
that assessments are both reliable and valid (Wortham, 2012, p. 70). While the NAEYC
Observable Criteria Tool has yet to be proven neither valid, nor reliable, programs have been
seeking accreditation and recognition from the NAEYC, and the tool was recently to ensure the
tool measured the programs success (Why, 2013).
Recommendations. The most important part of an assessment is the recommendations.
After completing the score sheet, the assessor must go back and write recommendations for how
the teacher can improve. The teacher can now take the constructive criticism from the assessor
and implement the improvements for her classroom in the future. After scoring the NAEYC
Observable Criteria Tool, the following recommendations are warranted (see Appendix B for
completed scored instrument).

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Standard 1Relationships.
1.

Building Positive Relationships between Teachers and Children: Teaching staff

should express warmth through behaviors, as well as create a positive emotional
climate by having frequent social conversations, joint laughter, and affection.

2.

Addressing Challenging Behaviors: While remaining the calm, the teacher should
teach the child social, communication, and emotional regulation schools, as well
as provide the child with information on acceptable behavior, as opposed to just
reprimanding for mistaken behavior.

Standard 5Health.
3.

Promoting and Protecting Childrens Health and Controlling Infectious Diseases:

After playing in the water center, children should wash hands to reduce the
possibility of spreading germs. Teachers should also wash their hands after
assisting a child with pulling her pants up, buttoning them, or zipping them.

4.

Ensuring Childrens Nutritional Well-being: Drinking water should be made

available to children throughout the day, especially during or after playing
outside.

Standard 9Physical Development.

5.

Outdoor Environmental Design: The playground should allow for exploration of

the natural environment, including a variety of natural and manufactured
surfaces, and areas with natural materials, rather than just mulch and cement. The
playground should also encompass activities such as dramatic play, block
building, art activities, or manipulative play.
Reflection

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Just like all environmental assessments, the NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool has both
limitations and benefits. The biggest limitation is that it is neither reliable nor valid because it is
still developing and the results of this assessment are not consistent. This tool also does not give
a final score that can easily and obviously help a teacher see how she ranks as opposed to her
peers. However, this tool assesses all areas of the program, measuring the extent at which the
environment and interactions provide students with opportunities to develop, one of the most
important aspects in an early childhood environment (Wortham, 2012). Lastly, this assessment
tool promotes developmentally appropriate practice by assessing every area of the classroom,
including curriculum, teaching strategies, and teaching materials.
Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
General description. The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) is an
assessment tool that obtains information through observation and focuses entirely on classroom
interactions between teachers and children, since it is these daily interactions that promote
childrens social and cognitive development (Pianta, La Paro, & Hambre, 2011, n.pg.). The tool
is divided into three domains: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional
Support; within each of these, there are dimensions that include a set of indicators, which each
possess a set of behavioral markers. The assessor would score the teacher on each indicator using
the behavioral markers on a scale of 1-7, according to the objects listed in CLASS Dimensions
Overview. From there, the assessor would then look at the dimension as a whole, and develop a
score using the Principles of Scoring. This score is from one to seven, with seven being the
highest and one, the lowest.
Reliability and Validity. When choosing an assessment tool, it is important to remember
to research its reliability and validity. While the two seem like they can be interchangeable,

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

reliability refers to consistency, and validity focuses on accuracy. It is crucial that assessments
are both reliable and valid (Wortham, 2012, p. 70). Since CLASS is standardized, everyone who
is trained should see the same things while assessing. The criterion for reliability is that 80% of
trainees codes on 5 test segments are within 1 scale point of master codes (DiCarlo, 2015). The
CLASS Tool has also been proven to be valid, since it is directly linked to childrens academic
and social development. While there could be a more simple tool developed that would increase
the reliability, said tool would be unable to still encompass the complexity of what is actually
important in the classroom (DiCarlo, 2015).
Recommendations/Environmental Objectives. The most important part of an
assessment is the recommendations. After completing the score sheet, the assessor must go back
and write recommendations for how the teacher can improve. The teacher can now take the
constructive criticism from the assessor and implement the improvements for her classroom in
the future. After assessing the teacher using the CLASS Observation Tool, the following
recommendations are warranted (see Appendix C for completed scored instrument).
Recommendations.

Positive Climate: The teacher should increase the amount of displays of positive
affects she displays to the students, rather than dismissing the students. She can start
by welcoming the students in the morning with a smile and being more positive
throughout the day. She can also increase communication with the students as a
whole, rather than solely for discipline and instruction.

Negative Climate: The teacher should try to limit the amount of yelling in the
classroom and show more positive affect to the students. She should use less sarcasm

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throughout the day and not make comments under her breath. Instead, she should
listen to the students and respond with positive and encouraging comments.

Teacher Sensitivity: The teacher should be more aware of the students who are in
need of extra attention, rather than treating all the same. She should be more
responsive to students, rather than dismissing them. She should also be more
understanding and apathetic when addressing students problems, instead of treating
them as though they know how to control their emotions like adults. Once these
things are improved, the students will be more comfortable in seeking support from
her.

Regard for Student Perspectives: The teacher should make more time for studentinitiated activities. She should be more flexible and organize instruction around
students interests. There should also be more opportunities for student expression
and conversation.

Behavior Management: While the teacher has established clear behavior

expectations and is proactive in monitoring, she can change from her traditional
discipline style to more redirection and guidance. Rather than yelling at the students
telling them that they are wrong, she should pull them aside and explain to them why
they are wrong so that the students are aware why they should not do that and are not
humiliated.

Productivity: Even though the students are very aware of the daily routines and
complete them with ease, the teacher should try to implement more transitions
between activities. She should also plan more ahead for whole group meetings, rather
than quickly skimming the teachers manual right before.

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Concept Development: Instead of having a planned activity for the students to do in

the art center with the paraprofessional, they should allow the students to create their
own work more often. The teacher should also link main ideas from week to week,
rather than introducing something new and not reviewing.

Quality of Feedback: The teacher should provide more scaffolding to students,

instead of simply dismissing responses as wrong or ignoring problems in students
understanding. She should also increase the amount of feedback loops held with
students. In addition, she should expand on the students understanding by providing
additional information. She should also increase the amount of encouragement
presented to her students. She needs to acknowledge the students hard work,
improvement, and persistence.

Language Modeling: The teacher should increase the amount of conversations

between her and the students, rather than her just speaking at them as a whole. She
could also ask more open-ended questions throughout the day rather than yes-or-no
questions. She should also repeat and extend on the students responses more, while
also partaking in self- and parallel- talking.
Reflection

The CLASS Tool is very beneficial in assessing Pre-K classrooms. It focuses on the most
important thing in early childhood education: how the teacher interacts with the children. Being
in a classroom where that interaction is very limited, I have realized just how important it is.
Without that conversation, the students growth is very limited. They cannot do much on their
own, and they need someone to ask them questions and make them think. In addition, they need
affection. The Pre-K students are only four years old, and they crave approval and affection from

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adults. When that is not present in a classroom, it is even harder for the students to learn
anything. The CLASS tool is important in assessing teachers because without that teacherstudent interaction, the students will never develop cognitively as compared to those who have
teachers who are always keeping their students engaged.
Early Language & Literacy Classroom Observation (ELLCO)
General Description. The Early Language & Literacy Classroom Observation, also
known as ELLCO, is a classroom assessment tool that focuses on promoting literacy and
language development in Preschool through 3rd grade classrooms. It consists of four parts:
Literacy Environment Checklist, Classroom Observation, Teacher Interview, and Literacy
Activities Rating Scale. The Literacy Environment Checklist should be completed prior to the
other observations so that the assessor can become familiar with the environment. This checklist
assesses the Book Area, Book Selection, Book Use, Writing Materials, and the Writing Around
the Room. For the Classroom Observation portion, the assessor rates 16 different sections,
including the General Classroom Environment and Language, Literacy, and Curriculum, as
Exemplary (5), Basic (3), or Deficient (1). The Teacher Interview aspect is to be conducted after
the Observation and consists of six questions that ask the teacher to expand on different
characteristics of her classroom. The last section, Literacy Activities, should be completed after
the Interview and focuses on the Book Reading and Writing that took place during the entire
observation (Smith, Dickinson, Sangeorge, & Anastasopoulous, 2002).
Reliability and Validity. When choosing an assessment tool, it is important to remember
to research its reliability and validity. While the two seem like they can be interchangeable,
reliability refers to consistency, and validity focuses on accuracy. It is crucial that assessments
are both reliable and valid (Wortham, 2012, p. 70). Since ELLCO is divided into different

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aspects, the reliability and validity is different as well. The Literacy Environment Checklist has
been proven to be 88% reliable, the Literacy Activities is 81% reliable, and the Classroom
Observation portion of ELLCO is 90% reliable (DiCarlo, 2016). For validity, each section
received scores ranging from .31 to .44, where the Classroom Observation received a score of
.44, the Language, Literacy, and Curriculum received .31, and the General Classroom
Environment received a score of .41 (Zaslow, Forry, Weinstein, Nuenning, McSwiggan, and
Durham, 2009, pg. 31).
Recommendations/Environmental Objectives. The most important part of an
assessment are the recommendations. After completing the score sheet, the assessor must go
back and write recommendations for how the teacher can improve. The teacher can now take the
constructive criticism from the assessor and implement the improvements for her classroom in
the future. After assessing the teacher using the ELLCO Tool, the following recommendations
are warranted (see Appendix D for completed scored instrument).
Recommendations.

Book Area #3: Does the area where books are located have soft materials? Add pillows,
cushions, or even a bean bag chair to the Reading Center so children can read books
comfortably.

Writing Materials #16: How many varieties of paper are available for writing? Provide
different kinds of paper in the writing center, such as different color construction paper
and lined paper.

Writing Around the Room #21: How many varieties of childrens writing are on display
in the classroom? Display more of the childrens everyday work in the classroom.

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Writing Around the Room #22b: Are there props that prompt children to write in the
dramatic play or block area? Add more writing tools in the dramatic play and block area,
such as menus and clipboards.

Classroom Observation #6: Classroom Climate. There should be more interactions

between the teachers and children, and teachers should engage in conversations with
children.

Classroom Observation #9S: Reading Instruction. Have more literacy instruction that is
outside of whole group, such as one-on-one and small group.

Classroom Observation #11: Approaches to Curriculum. Materials, activities, and

interactions should encourage the use of the themes meaningful to children, rather than
just mild relevance.

Literacy Activities Rating Scale- Book Reading #4: Did you observe an adult engaged
one-to-one book reading or small book reading? Try to pull small groups during center
time, or walk around to the Reading Center and read to the children in that center.
Reflection. ELLCO is very beneficial in assessing Pre-K through 3rd grade? classrooms.

It focuses on the literacy and language, which are two things that are extremely crucial in a
childs early life. It is imperative that preschool children are exposed to literacy at a young age or
they will never develop. Doing small things in the classroom, such as reviewing the alphabet and
its sounds, can greatly impact a childs ability to read later in life. ELLCO ensures that literacy
and language are both implemented in an early childhood classroom.
Summary
Environmental assessments are very important in evaluating an early childhood
program and crucial in determining if the program is developmentally appropriate. ECERS,

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NAEYC Observable Criteria Tool, CLASS, and ELLCO are used to gather information about the
environment while helping to improve the program to ensure positive educational experiences
for young learners. While these tools are very tedious and time consuming, they are great assets
to any program that is looking to improve and benefit their students.

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References

Clifford, R. M., & Reszka, S. S. (2010). Reliability and validity of the early childhood
environment rating scale. Retrieved on September 16 2016 from
http://www.ersi.info/PDF/ReliabilityEcers.pdf.
DiCarlo, C. (2015). Pre-K reliability training. [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from
http://moodle2.lsu.edu/course/view.php?id=12079.
Dicarlo, C. (2016). The learning environment/discipline & guidance. [PowerPoint Slides].
Retrieved from https://moodle3.lsu.edu/course/view.php?id=2531.
Harms, T., Clifford, R., & Cryer, D. (1998). Early childhood environment rating scale (Rev. ed.).
New York: Teachers College Press.
NAEYC Accreditation (2013). Observable Criteria Tool: Preschool/Kindergarten. Retrieved
from http://www.naeyc.org/academy/files/academy/file/OTool_SA.pdf.
Pianta, RC., La Paro, K.M., & Hambre, B.K. (2011). Dimensions guide: Pre-K CLASS. Virginia:
Teachstone Training, LLC.
Reliability and validity study 1: brief description. (2011). Retrieved September 15, 2016 from
https://www.naeyc.org/files/academy/file/ReVal1Description.pdf.
Smith, Ed.D., Miriam W., and Dickinson, Ed.D., David K. (2002). Early Language Literacy
Classroom Observation. Newton, MA: Education Development Center, Inc.
Why NAEYC accreditation? (2013). Retrieved on September 15 2016 from
https://www.naeyc.org/academy/interested/whyaccreditation.
Wortham, S. (2012). Assessment in early childhood education (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River,
N.J.: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.

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Zaslow, M., Forry, N., Weinstein, D., Nuenning, M., McSwiggan, M., & Durham, M. (2009).
Selected Observational Measures for Assessing the Quality of Early Childhood
Classrooms: An Annotated Bibliography. REL Appalachia: Regional Educational
Laboratory.

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Appendix A: Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale- Revised (ECERS) Score Sheet

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Appendix B: National Association for the Education of Young Children Observable Criteria
Tool: Preschool/ Kindergarten

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Appendix C: Classroom Assessment Scoring System Score Sheet

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Appendix D: ELLCO Toolkit Score Form

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