Assessment Tools and Measures
AML-R Behavior Rating Scale (AML-R)
Associate-Child Rating Scale (A-CRS)
Background Information Form (BIF)
Child Log (CL)
Child Rating Scale (CRS)
Parent Appraisal of Children’s Experiences (PACE)
Parent-Child Rating Scale (P-CRS)
Professional Summary Report (PSR)
Stage of Change Scale for Early Education and Care 2.0
Stage of Change Scale for Early Education and Care 2.0 Professional Manual
Teacher-Child Rating Scale (T-CRS 2.1)
T-CRS 2.1 Examiner’s Manual
Screening and Evaluation Guidelines
AML-R Behavior Rating Scale (AML-R) • $50.00 (pkg. of 25)
The AML-R is a 12-item, quick-screening tool completed by teachers to aid in identifying children experiencing school adjustment problems. Comparison of a child’s relative position across three scales can help to identify a particular problem area and assist mental health professionals in determining an approach which may best meet a child’s specific needs.
The AML-R measures observed frequencies ranging from "never" to "most or all of the time" for the following scales: Acting-out, aggressive behaviors; moody, shy, anxious behaviors; learning difficulties.
Grades: PreK-6
Administration: Teacher
Completion time: 15-20 minutes for average-size class
Scoring: Hand or computer
Norms: Profiles and percentiles by sex and area (urban/non-urban) derived from target-population norm samples are available
Associate-Child Rating Scale (A-CRS) • $50.00 (pkg. of 25)
The A-CRS is a 20-item child-rating instrument completed by the service provider. It assesses both a child’s relative strengths and weaknesses compared to other program-referred children. The A-CRS can assist in determining both individual priorities and program goals, and may be used to assess a child’s progress when used in conjunction with other Children’s Institute measures.
Four A-CRS scales examine the following domains: Participation/initiative; limit-testing, acting-out; shy/anxious, withdrawn behaviors; self-confidence, frustration tolerance.
Grades: PreK-6
Administration: Service provider
Completion time: Two to three minutes per child
Scoring: Hand or computer
Norms: Profiles and percentiles by sex and area (urban/non-urban) derived from program norm samples are available
Background Information Form (BIF) • $50.00 (pkg. of 25)
The BIF provides a systematic way to gather child information that can be used to better understand the child and to develop program goals. BIF data also provides a collective picture of children served. Applications for the information gathered include mental health programs, special education, general education, and research and evaluation. In addition to identifying general information, the BIF includes educational characteristics (alternative programs), parenting situation, and life events.
Grades: PreK-12
Administration: Someone who knows about the child
Scoring: Hand or computer
Child Log (CL) • $50.00 (pkg. of 25)
The CL provides a systematic record of child contacts. This information is often used to indicate the range of helping services provided and may be required by funding sources. In addition, the CL can assist in documenting the distribution of resources. The CL collects: Number of individual/group sessions (plus space for notes); service provider ID number; average session length; typical number of sessions per week; months represented.
Grades: All
Administration: Service provider
Completion time: 2-3 minutes per child
Processing: Available from Children’s Institute
Child Rating Scale (CRS) • $50.00 (pkg. of 25)
A two-sided measure, the CRS consists of 24 items arranged into six groups of four items each. Using a three-point rating scale, the CRS groups children’s responses to the items into empirically derived scales that assess: Rule compliance/acting out; anxiety/withdrawal; peer social skills; school interest.
The CRS is often used to rate a child’s perception of him/herself before and after participating in Primary Project. It can also be used as a classroom screening measure.
Grades: 2-5, typically; K-1 with teacher assistance
Administration: Children, with teacher assistance
Completion time: 10-20 minutes; varies with age of child
Scoring: Hand or computer
Norms: Tables and profiles by sex and area (urban and non-urban), derived from program norm samples, are available
Parent Appraisal of Children’s Experiences (PACE) • $125.00 (pkg. of 25)
The PACE provides school personnel with a conduit for obtaining systematic information from parents regarding their children. It also provides school districts and the community at large with a picture of the health, family situations, and school readiness skills of students entering Kindergarten.
The PACE collects: Demographic information; history of childcare arrangements; child’s detailed health history, including birth conditions; maternal smoking and drinking behaviors during pregnancy; assessment of the child’s fine and gross motor, and sensory functioning; speech and language development; school readiness (cognitive) skills; social, emotional, and behavioral functioning; life experiences and family routines.
Grades: K-2
Administration: Parents, with assistance from school nurses, teachers and school administrators
Completion time: 10-15 minutes
Scoring: Computer
Parent-Child Rating Scale (P-CRS) • $50.00 (pkg. of 25)
The P-CRS is a 39-item measure that assesses children’s behavioral, social and emotional functioning from a parent’s perspective. It has excellent psychometric properties.
Professional Summary Report (PSR) • $50.00 (pkg. of 25)
The PSR summarizes a child’s program experience and is typically used for Primary Project. The supervising mental health professional completes the PSR based on observation of the child and input from service providers and teachers to produce a cumulative list of information regarding the child.
Section one describes changes in children’s school behaviors-strengths, weaknesses, and performance-since the time of referral.Section two describes why the child is leaving the program, and gives the professional’s recommendation for future program involvement.
Administration: Supervising Mental Health Professional
Completion time: 2-3 minutes
Processing: Computer
Stage of Change Scale for Early Education and Care 2.0 • $50.00 (pkg. of 25)
The Stage of Change Scale is a simple rating form that consists of 7 items assessing early childhood caregivers’ readiness to change their child care practices. The scale is based on the Transtheoretical Model of change, a framework developed in the health behavior field and endorsed by the National Institutes of Health. Items measure intention to change, awareness of a need for change, seeking information, awareness of effects of behavior on children, confidence in overcoming obstacles to change, social support, and professional identity. Three forms are available and sold separately:
Self-Report Form: Completed by the caregiver (available in English or Spanish)
Self-Report Form for Administrators: Completed by administrator to assess her readiness to change her leadership/administrative practices
Mentor/Coach Form: Completed by the mentor or coach to assess the caregiver or administrator
(use one form per caregiver or administrator)
User: Center- and home-based early childhood caregivers/teachers, child care center administrators, mentors/coaches
Completion time: 10 minutes
Scoring: Hand or computer
Stage of Change Scale for Early Education and Care 2.0 Professional Manual • $50.00
The Stage of Change Scale Professional Manual contains instructions for scoring the scale, tools for creating an individualized plan for support, guidelines for choosing instructional techniques matched to each stage, and psychometric properties.
Teacher-Child Rating Scale (T-CRS 2.1) • $50.00 (pkg. of 25)
The T-CRS 2.1 is a quick, third-generation rating form that consists of 32 items assessing positive and negative aspects of a child’s socio-emotional school adjustment. By grouping these items into four empirically derived scales, the T-CRS 2.1 assesses: Task orientation; behavior control; assertiveness; peer social skills.
The T-CRS 2.1 measures teacher agreement using a five-point Likert scale. Summary record sheets and an Examiner’s Manual are also available.
Grades: K-3
Administration: Teacher
Completion time: 10 minutes
Scoring: Hand or computer
Norms: Tables for sex and area (urban/non-urban), derived from program norm samples, are available
Teacher-Child Rating Scale (T-CRS 2.1) Examiner’s Manual • $65.00
The T-CRS 2.1 Examiner’s Manual is an essential reference for any teacher administering the T-CRS 2.1. Topics include the T-CRS 2.1: History, description, and applications; development, revision, and norm development; administration and scoring; reliability and stability; validity.
Screening and Evaluation Guidelines • $30.00
All Primary Project assessment and form guidelines are bound together in the Screening and Evaluation Measures and Forms Guidelines. Guidelines provide a rationale, background, and description of each instrument, as well as administration and scoring instructions. Norm profiles provided where applicable. Individual guidelines are also available.