
Explore our Circle Progress Monitoring measures below to learn more about their alignment with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF).
Please note that the 2017 version of the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF) is the latest publication.
CIRCLE Progress Monitoring System
Implementation Guide
Teachers, Principals/Directors, School Specialists, District/Community Administrators
This measure is given to evaluate a student’s ability to identify letters of the alphabet.
Directions: The child is given a total of 60 seconds to identify letters that appear on the screen. The student must respond within 3 seconds. If 3 seconds elapse without a response, the item is automatically scored as incorrect. A response should be recorded if the child correctly names the letter, if the child says: “I don’t know”, or if the child provides the incorrect response.
The Rapid Vocabulary Naming measure gains insight into a child’s skills.
Directions: Child is given a total of 60 seconds to identify pictures as they appear on the screen. There are different pictures for each wave of the assessment. The Rapid Vocabulary Naming assessment includes two untimed warm-up items. Conduct a practice session with the warm-up items and give feedback for both practice items: Correct response: “Good job.” Incorrect response: “That was a good try, but this is a ball. Let’s try some more. You say ‘ball.’” Note: Corrective feedback is only for sample items. Prompt the student by reading the instructions. After a picture appears on the screen, the student must respond within 3 seconds. If 3 seconds elapse without a response, the item is automatically scored as incorrect. A response should be recorded if the child correctly names the letter, if the child says: “I don’t know,” or if the child provides the incorrect response. Note: A list of acceptable responses can be found on the “Rapid Vocabulary Naming” score sheets.
The Book and Print Awareness Checklist observes the child’s engagement and awareness of books and print.
Directions: Select “Correct” or “Incorrect” for each item on the checklist as you ask the child about the book. 1. Correct – the child demonstrated this behavior. 2. Incorrect – the child did not demonstrate this behavior.
The Story Retell component assesses a child’s ability to retell a story.
Directions: Print the Story Retell procedures sheet and score sheet from the “Resources” page on CLI Engage. Read the text for all four pages before going on to STEP 1. Click the blue OR purple button to advance pages in the story. 2. Elicit the narrative. Record data on the score sheet and follow onscreen instructions for recording responses. 3. You may help the child by using the acceptable prompts indicated in the user guide. Do not prompt more than twice. 4. Comprehension. Ask the three questions as prompted on the screen. Refer to the score sheet for acceptable phrases. Record data on the score sheet and follow onscreen instructions for recording responses.
The Letter-Sound Correspondence measure assesses a child’s ability to identify sounds associated with individual letters.
Directions to the child: “We are going to look at some letters and see if you know the sound each letter makes. It’s okay to guess if you don’t know the sounds. Some letters make only one sound and some make more than one sound. Try to tell me at least one sound each letter makes. Ready? What sounds does this letter make?” Record the response.
This task requires children to identify parts of words and sentences by clapping. Teachers will present a word or sentence, and the child will repeat it. Prompt the children: Clap as you say each word of the sentence or each part of the word. Scoring depends on the accuracy of the clap count.
In this measure, teachers provide children with sounds that are combined to form words.
The first five items are multiple-choice items where children are asked to point to (or touch) the word that was blended. The second half of the measure is more complicated. Children are asked to blend phonemes independently, without multiple choices or images.
This sub-measure evaluates a child’s ability to recognize sounds contained in words. Pictures are used on two items to help children remember both the target sound (i.e., initial sound in Dog, final sound in Head) and possible answer choices. The final items ask children to determine if two words are the same or if they have the same initial sound, without multiple choices or images.
This sub-measure evaluates a child’s ability to identify rhyming words. The first half consists of multiple-choice items in which children are asked to point to the pictures that rhyme. Teachers should not accept verbal responses for multiple choice questions (e.g., the one on the bottom). The second half of the measure is more complicated. Children are asked to identify rhyming words independently, without multiple choices or images.
The Science subtest is a receptive task and was designed to measure four disciplinary core ideas in the National Research Council’s (2012) framework for science education including: Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Earth and Space Sciences, Engineering and Technology Applications of Science
Directions: Each item contains a scripted question that the child answers by pointing to one of 3 pictures (receptive task). There are no practice items. Follow the prompt on the screen and record the response by clicking or touching the item the child selected as the answer. This is an untimed test, but if the child does not provide a response after about 10 seconds, move on to the next item (e.g., “OK, let’s try another one”) by clicking an incorrect response. Teacher Prompts: NR (No response) after about 5-10 seconds: “It’s okay to take a guess” + Repeat the prompt DK (Don’t know): “It’s okay to take a guess” + Repeat the prompt After your prompt to guess, if the child still says, “I don’t know” (DK), the examiner says: “That’s okay. Let’s try another picture.” Verbal response when a child should point: “Show me with your pointer finger” + Repeat the prompt MR (multiple response of pointing to more than one): “Point to just one picture” or “Choose just one answer” + repeat the prompt
The Social Studies subtest is a receptive task and was designed to measure topics addressed in the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and the Texas Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines including: Self, Family & Community; People & The Environment and History & Events
Directions: Each item contains a scripted question that the child answers by pointing to one of 3 pictures (receptive task). There are no practice items. Follow the prompt on the screen and record the response by clicking or touching the item the child selected as the answer. This is an untimed test, but if the child does not provide a response after about 10 seconds, move on to the next item (e.g., “OK, let’s try another one”) by clicking an incorrect response. Teacher Prompts: NR (No response) after about 5-10 seconds: “It’s okay to take a guess” + Repeat the prompt DK (Don’t know): “It’s okay to take a guess” + Repeat the prompt After your prompt to guess, if the child still says, “I don’t know” (DK), the examiner says: “That’s okay. Let’s try another picture.” Verbal response when a child should point: “Show me with your pointer finger” + Repeat the prompt MR (multiple response of pointing to more than one): “Point to just one picture” or “Choose just one answer” + repeat the prompt
Children demonstrate their counting skills. Children are asked to count aloud and to count groups of objects shown on the screen.
For the rote counting item, allow the child to continue counting until they make an error, and record how high the child was able to count without making a mistake.
For other items, read each prompt as written and allow the child to count the objects and provide their answer.
Children are asked to identify and name numbers. Some items ask children to point to (or touch) a specific number, while other items ask children to say the name of a number shown on the screen.
Children demonstrate their understanding of shapes. Some items ask children to name a shape, while others ask children to identify a specific shape or find multiple examples of the same shape. Teachers should read each prompt as written and allow the child to respond verbally or by pointing to (or touching) the appropriate shape or shapes.
For items that ask the child to identify multiple shapes, follow any additional prompting instructions provided on the item screen. For designated items, if the child identifies only some of the correct shapes, the teacher may prompt one time, “Is that all of them?”
Children are asked to solve simple addition and subtraction problems. The problems describe objects being added to or taken away from a group, and children determine how many objects there would be altogether or how many would remain.
Children are asked to recognize and complete patterns. Children look at a sequence and determine what should come next.
Children demonstrate their understanding of mathematical language and concepts. Items assess concepts such as capacity, quantity, measurement, order, and position.
Observe and mark each student’s demonstration of these behaviors as:
1-Rarely, 2-Sometimes, or 3-Consistently
Observe and mark each student’s demonstration of these behaviors as:
1-Rarely, 2-Sometimes, or 3-Consistently
Observe and mark each student’s demonstration of these behaviors as:
1-Rarely, 2-Sometimes, or 3-Consistently
Observe and mark each student’s demonstration of these behaviors as: 1-Rarely, 2-Sometimes, or 3-Consistently Observe and mark each student’s demonstration of these behaviors as: 1-Rarely, 2-Sometimes, or 3-Consistently Observe and mark each student’s demonstration of these behaviors as: 1-Rarely, 2-Sometimes, or 3-Consistently Observe and mark each student’s demonstration of these behaviors as: 1-Rarely, 2-Sometimes, or 3-Consistently Observe and mark each student’s demonstration of these behaviors as: 1-Rarely, 2-Sometimes, or 3-Consistently
assistance through age 5)
Observe and mark each student’s demonstration of these behaviors as:
1-Rarely, 2-Sometimes, or 3-Consistently
Observe and mark each student’s demonstration of these behaviors as:
1-Rarely, 2-Sometimes, or 3-Consistently
Initiative and Curiosity
Seeks out others to share an idea or get involved in an activity.
Shows eagerness to learn about new topics and how to do new tasks.
Shows flexibility and creativity in approaching new tasks.
Asks questions in order to learn more about people, topics and ideas.
Asks about how objects work or why things are done a particular way.
Flexibility Checklist
Is able to change or modify an ineffective approach to solving a problem and try a new approach.
Incorporate others’ ideas in order to be more effective engaging in activities or interacting with others.
Shows the ability to accept another person’s way of doing things even when it differs from their own approach.
Incorporates others’ feedback to be more effective in solving problems or interacting with others.
Can go with the flow when routine activities must be adjusted due to unexpected circumstances.
Goal P-ATL 9. Child demonstrates flexibility in thinking and behavior.
Goal P-ATL 10. Child demonstrates initiative and independence.
Goal P-ATL 11. Child shows interest in and curiosity about the world around them.
Goal P-ATL 12. Child expresses creativity in thinking and communication.
Observe and mark each student’s demonstration of these behaviors as:
1-Rarely, 2-Sometimes, or 3-Consistently
Observe and mark each student’s demonstration of these behaviors as:
1-Rarely, 2-Sometimes, or 3-Consistently
Observe and mark each student’s demonstration of these behaviors as:
1-Rarely, 2-Sometimes, or 3-Consistently
Use the Circle Progress Monitoring Observables.
Return to the Circle Progress Monitoring Toolkit for more resources.
This document was last modified on: September 4, 2026