The articles in this engaging volume, mostly from Young Children, address the purposes of and uses for assessment. Expert commentary from Marian Marion, Gayle Mindes, Richard Clifford, Diane Trister Dodge and others offers an overview of the topic and specific examples to show how assessment informs and improves practice in early childhood education. A statement of position from NAEYC and NAECS/SDE is also included. This book is organized into the following sections: (1) Introduction (Derry Koralek); (2) Framing the Assessment Discussion (Jacqueline Jones); (3) Beyond Outcomes: How Ongoing Assessment Supports Children's Learning and Leads to Meaningful Curriculum (Diane Trister Dodge, Cate Heroman, Julia Charles, and Jessica Maiorca); (4) Infant/Toddler Assessment: One Program's Experience (Margo L. Dichtelmiller and Laura Ensler); (5) From Policing to Participation: Overturning the Rules and Creating Amiable Classrooms (Carol Anne Wien); (6) Research in Review: School Readiness Assessment (Kelly L. Maxwell and Richard M. Clifford); (7) Ensuring Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Assessment of Young Children (Rosa Milagros Santos); (8) Where We Stand on Curriculum, Assessment, and Program Evaluation (NAEYC and NAECS/SDE); (9) The Words We Use: A Glossary of Terms for Early Childhood Education Standards and Assessment (Jana Martella); (10) Assessing Children's Development: Strategies That Complement Testing (Ann S. Epstein, Lawrence J. Schweinhart, and Andrea DeBruin-Parecki); (11) Choosing an Appropriate Assessment System (Amy Lynn Shillady); (12) Print and Online Resources That Spotlight Young Children and Assessment (Marian Marion and Gayle Mindes); and (13) Reflecting, Discussing, Exploring: Questions and Follow-Up Activities (Heather Biggar).