Observe
Watch for meaningful behaviors, interactions, emerging skills, interests, and developmental changes during everyday classroom experiences.
Ongoing Assessment
Progress Monitoring
Monitor children's development throughout the school year with ongoing documentation, observations, developmental evidence, reflection, and intentional planning.
Ongoing Documentation
Track Growth
Child-Centered
Evidence Based
Purpose
Observe. Document. Reflect. Respond.
Progress monitoring is an ongoing process of gathering meaningful information about children's learning and development and using that information to guide responsive teaching.
Document
Record observations and collect evidence that helps create a clear picture of each child's development over time.
Reflect
Review collected information to identify strengths, emerging skills, interests, patterns, and areas requiring continued attention.
Respond
Use documentation to plan intentional teaching strategies, learning opportunities, and appropriate supports.
The Process
The Progress Monitoring Cycle
Progress monitoring works best as a continuous cycle rather than a single assessment event.
01
Observe
Notice what children are doing, saying, attempting, communicating, and discovering.
02
Record
Capture objective observations, dates, contexts, child words, and relevant evidence.
03
Review
Look across documentation to identify developmental growth and recurring patterns.
04
Plan
Identify intentional teaching opportunities, strategies, goals, and next steps.
05
Monitor Again
Continue observing and documenting so progress can be followed across time.
Documentation Areas
What Can Be Monitored?
Organize ongoing documentation around the areas of development and learning that are meaningful for each child.
Communication & Language
Communication attempts, vocabulary, language comprehension, conversations, gestures, and expressive language.
Physical Development
Gross motor movement, fine motor coordination, balance, strength, coordination, and physical independence.
Social Emotional Development
Relationships, emotional expression, self-regulation, social interactions, and developing independence.
Cognitive Development
Problem solving, exploration, memory, reasoning, attention, curiosity, and understanding.
Early Literacy
Interest in books, print awareness, storytelling, drawing, writing attempts, sounds, and communication through symbols.
Early Mathematics
Counting, quantity, classification, patterns, spatial relationships, comparison, and problem solving.
Printable Resources
Progress Monitoring Resources
Use these resources to organize ongoing documentation, review progress, and plan responsive learning experiences.
Ongoing Documentation
Progress Monitoring Record
Record observations, dates, developmental evidence, emerging skills, and progress across the school year.
Download Form
Growth
Developmental Progress Tracker
Follow developmental growth and emerging skills over time using organized evidence and teacher observations.
Download Form
Observation
Ongoing Observation Record
Document meaningful classroom observations and connect them to children's ongoing development and learning.
Download Form
Review
Progress Review Form
Review collected evidence to identify strengths, emerging skills, recurring interests, and areas for continued support.
Download Form
Planning
Intentional Planning Form
Use progress information to identify teaching strategies, learning opportunities, supports, and next steps.
Download Form
Family Partnership
Family Progress Sharing Form
Organize information that can be shared with families about developmental growth, strengths, interests, and continued learning.
Download Form
Teacher Reflection
Turn Documentation Into Action
Progress monitoring becomes meaningful when collected evidence informs what happens next. Review documentation regularly and consider what the child is showing you through their play, interactions, communication, exploration, and learning.
What strengths are becoming more consistent?
What skills are emerging?
What interests continue to appear?
What opportunities should be offered next?
Keep Learning Visible
Every Observation Tells Part of the Story.
Consistent documentation helps teachers recognize growth, respond to children's needs, celebrate strengths, and make thoughtful decisions throughout the school year.
Explore Progress Monitoring Forms