Early Learning Assessment for Administrators
The Early Learning Assessment (ELA) is a set of research-supported learning progressions for preschool age children that are organized in seven domains: Social Foundations, Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Well-Being and Motor Development, and Fine Arts. The Learning Progressions define pathways of skills, knowledge, and behaviors that children develop between the ages of 36 months and 72 months, including levels for preschool-age children who have developmental delays.
RESOURCES
2024-2025 School Year
Only programs serving children funded by the Early Childhood Education Grant (ECE) or Preschool Special Education (PSE) are required to use the ELA. Programs may choose to use Ohio's Early Learning Assessment as their comprehensive assessment to meet Step Up To Quality requirements, assessing all children a minimum of two times during the year following a program determined schedule.
For the 2024-2025 school year, the requirement for PSE and ECE programs is to assess children with a set of 15 skills, knowledge, and behaviors (SKBS), in the fall and spring. For the comprehensive assessment for Step Up to Quality, the requirement is 32 SKBs, effectively retiring the original 72-SKB version of the ELA.
Reporting
This year’s ELA reporting is a simple file upload process. Programs will collect data on paper and transfer it to a spreadsheet template or enter the ratings directly into the spreadsheet template when completing the assessment. The program will upload the completed spreadsheet template to a secure portal. The spreadsheet template posted online is locked to preserve valid score options for each skill. An unlocked version is available upon request through the Ohio K12 Help Webform.
Please see the Early Learning Assessment FAQs for Administrators for additional information about reporting.
Data Manager Training
The Department of Children and Youth hosted a webinar for administrators and data managers on October 18 about Early Learning Assessment reporting. Download the slide deck here.
Assessment Windows
The Early Learning Assessment can be used at any time throughout the calendar year. The year is divided into four assessment windows:
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Fall:
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Aug 15 - Nov 14
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Required for reporting |
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Winter:
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Nov 15 - Feb 14
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Ongoing for best practice |
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Spring:
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Feb 15 - May 14
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Required for reporting |
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Summer:
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May 15 - Aug 14
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Ongoing for best practice
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Each school year, programs that receive ECE or PSE funding must report assessment ratings during the fall and spring windows. Programs are encouraged to use the assessment during the winter and summer windows.
Early Learning Assessment Training
There are several professional development opportunities for early care and education professionals to learn about the Early Learning Assessment. Administrators may find the Early Learning Assessment (ELA) Jump Start modules are a good place to start. The ELA Jump Start is a set of on-demand modules that provide an introduction to the ELA and are a resource for educators and administrators that would like to know more about the purpose, and general implementation of the ELA. Registration can be done through the Ohio Professional Registry and are open to all. Please visit the Early Learning Assessment for Teachers for additional training opportunities and registration information.
Assessment Data Manager Role
The assessment data manager role is no longer used for Early Learning Assessment reporting system access. It will continue to be used to communicate with programs about the Early Learning Assessment. Assign or update the Assessment Data Manager-Preschool and Kindergarten role in Ohio Educational Directory System (OEDS).
Last Modified: 12/11/2024 1:37:44 PM