A red flag has been raised. What confirms it or rules it out?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
A screening tool gives consistent results whoever gives it, wherever and whenever. Which quality is that?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
A screening tool measures what it is meant to measure. Which quality is that?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
Early caregivers and teachers lack the qualifications to screen and evaluate children formally. What can they do?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
Florida law lists "observation of developmental behaviors" among the topics of the 40-hour introductory course. What does it say the observation is used to determine?Florida Statutes, section 402.305(2)(d)1.e.
Show all 79 questions (74 more)
What observation and screening are for, continued
How long is a screening designed to take?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
Observation is defined as gathering information about objects and events by using what?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.1
What can monitoring tell a teacher about a possible delay?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
What does a developmental screening use to look more closely at a child's development?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
What does baseline data give a teacher?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.1
What is the role of observation in a child care classroom?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.1
Which are four types of assessment used in early childhood programs?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 6.3
Which observation tool does Florida's child care training law name outright?Florida Statutes, section 402.305(2)(d)1.e.
Which statement about a red flag is true?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
Which type of assessment typically ends in a diagnosis and must be given by a person who meets licensing or certification standards?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 6.3
The skilled observer: facts, bias and ethics 14
A teacher writes four notes about Maya. Which one records only what was seen?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.6
"Ava cuts with scissors better than Leo does." Which mistake is this?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.7
Before photographing or recording a child for documentation, what should a teacher check?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
"Dante is a troublemaker." Which mistake in writing observation evidence is this?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.7
How should a child's own words be written in an observation?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.8
How should observation notes and photos of a child be handled?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.8
To truly observe a child, an observer must be which four things?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.2
What does a planned observation give that a spontaneous one may not?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.3
What is the risk of waiting to write down a spontaneous observation?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.3
What should an observer's notes focus on?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.9
Which details should head every written observation?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.9
While children play, what should the observer do?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.9
Why should observers avoid words such as always, never, shy and angry?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.6
Why should teachers examine their own biases?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.7
Observation methods and tools 19
A child throws a cup and classmates laugh. In an ABC observation, where does the laughing go?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
A dated drawing saved with a note on how and why it was collected is which kind of evidence?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
A teacher makes a tally mark each time a child bites during the morning. Which method is this?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
A teacher wants to mark which self-help skills each child in the group has mastered. Which tool fits?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
How does an anecdotal record differ from a running record?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
In an ABC observation, what is the antecedent?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
In which tense are anecdotal records written?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
What concern comes with photos, audio and video as documentation?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
What does a checklist leave out?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
What does a frequency count not show?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
What goes with a work sample when it is filed?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
What makes an assessment tool a formal one?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 6.3
What must be written beside each skill ticked on a checklist?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
Which is a limit of the anecdotal record?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
Which method is written as a narrative that spotlights a child's strengths and invites the family to add comments?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
Which method writes down everything a child says and does over a set time, in order, with no opinions added?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
Why is a running record hard for a teacher who is counted in ratio?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
Why is everything that goes into a child's portfolio dated?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 1.5
Why should a teacher use more than one observation method?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 3.4
Signs of delay, disability and risk 9
A challenging behavior keeps repeating. How should a teacher read it?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
During an observation a caregiver has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is being abused. What does Florida law require?Florida Statutes, section 39.201(1)(a)
Federal early intervention rules require the referral of a child under three in which case?34 CFR 303.303(b) (IDEA Part C rule)
Florida's Early Steps law lists the areas in which a developmental delay may show. Which is one of them?Florida Statutes, section 391.302(2)
How does a developmental disability differ from a developmental delay?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
Into which four domains do developmental milestone charts usually fall?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
Two children of the same age reach a milestone some weeks apart. What does that show?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
Under the federal early intervention rule, an infant or toddler may qualify without a measured delay if the child has what?34 CFR 303.21(a)(2) (IDEA Part C rule)
What must an educator understand before deciding that a child's development is atypical?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
Sharing results with families 11
A family does not speak English. What should be arranged for the conference?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 6.4
A parent asks how her child compares with a named classmate. What is the rule?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 6.4
A plan is made with the family and the teacher keeps monitoring. After a few weeks nothing has changed. What comes next?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
An early learning coalition's developmental screening may be given to a child only with what?Florida Statutes, section 1002.84(5)
How should a teacher open and close a conference that includes a concern?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 6.4
How should results be worded for a family?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 6.4
May a coalition's developmental screening be made a condition of entering the school readiness program?Florida Statutes, section 1002.84(5)
Under the federal early intervention rule, what must be obtained before a child under three is evaluated?34 CFR 303.420(a) (IDEA Part C rule)
What should a teacher do after each family conference?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 6.4
Where should a teacher sit at a family conference?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 6.4
While monitoring, a teacher identifies a red flag. What is the teacher's responsibility?Peterson and Elam, Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (College of the Canyons open textbook, CC BY 4.0), section 4.2
Referral, agencies and resources 11
After an early intervention referral is received, the evaluation and the first plan meeting must be completed within how many days?34 CFR 303.310(a) (IDEA Part C rule)
The federal early intervention program serves children under what age?34 CFR 303.21(a) (IDEA Part C rule)
Florida law has each early learning coalition set up a developmental screening for children of what ages?Florida Statutes, section 1002.84(5)
Florida's regional diagnostic and learning resource centers may help districts test and evaluate which children?Florida Statutes, section 1006.03(4)
Is a child care program a primary referral source under the federal early intervention rule?34 CFR 303.303(c) (IDEA Part C rule)
Once a child under three has been identified, how soon must a primary referral source refer the child?34 CFR 303.303(a)(2)(i) (IDEA Part C rule)
Under federal special education rules, an initial evaluation is conducted within how many days of parental consent, unless the state sets its own timeframe?34 CFR 300.301(c)(1) (IDEA Part B rule)
What does the federal "child find" rule require of a state?34 CFR 300.111(a) (IDEA Part B rule)
What is the written plan for a child under three in early intervention called?34 CFR 303.20 (IDEA Part C rule)
Which program carries out Part C of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in Florida?Florida Statutes, section 391.308
Who may ask a school district for an initial evaluation to find out whether a child has a disability?34 CFR 300.301(b) (IDEA Part B rule)
How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the topics marked for the Florida Department of Children and Families course Behavioral Observation and Screening in Table 6 of the training review prepared for the Department, dated June 28, 2023 and posted on its website (https://www.myflfamilies.com/documents/57961.pdf), and to the training topic in section 402.305(2)(d)1.e., Florida Statutes. The exam format is on the Department's page Scheduling Your Child Care Training Competency Exams (https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-family/child-care/competency-exams-schedule): multiple choice, 45 minutes, with no published count of questions or topic weights. Every fact was read on October 12, 2026 in the source the question names: Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Education by Gina Peterson and Emily Elam, an open textbook of College of the Canyons under a CC BY 4.0 license (https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Early_Childhood_Education/General_Child_Development/Observation_and_Assessment_in_Early_Childhood_Education_(Peterson_and_Elam)), Florida Statutes sections 39.201, 391.302, 391.308, 402.305, 1002.84 and 1006.03 (leg.state.fl.us), and the federal rules 34 CFR parts 300 and 303 (ecfr.gov). Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site. Facts on observation methods are drawn, with credit, from an open textbook used under its CC BY 4.0 license; statutes and federal rules are public law.
How it works
This DCF behavioral observation and screening practice test is unofficial and not affiliated with the Florida Department of Children and Families. It is practice for an exam, not medical advice.
Read the full guide
What the exam covers
Florida law makes observation of developmental behaviors, with a checklist or similar tools, a topic of the 40-hour introductory training. A 2023 review of the Department's training marks this course's topics: observation principles and methods, the skilled observer, signs of delay and risk, sharing results with families, and referral.
The methods to tell apart
A running record writes down everything in order. An anecdotal record is a brief note on one event. A checklist ticks skills, with dates. A frequency count tallies a behavior. An ABC sample adds what came before and after it.
Where a referral goes
Under three: Florida's Early Steps Program, within seven days of identifying the child. From three: a parent may ask the school district for an evaluation.
Objective notes record what was seen and heard. Words such as always, never, shy and happy are opinion.
Monitoring can show that a delay may be present. It cannot say what the delay is or how severe.
Date every checklist tick, note and work sample, so the portfolio shows progress in order.
Questions and answers
How many questions are on the DCF behavioral observation and screening exam?
No count is published. The Department's exam page lists the course as BOS25, 6 hours, and gives every competency exam 45 minutes of multiple-choice questions. A timed round on this page asks 40 of our own in that time.
Is there a DCF behavioral observation and screening study guide here?
This is practice, not the Department's course material. The exam is confidential, so the questions are ours: observation methods from an open college textbook, and screening and referral rules from Florida statutes and the federal early intervention rules.
Who can skip the Behavioral Observation and Screening course?
By handbook section 4.4.2: staff with an associate degree or higher that includes six college credit hours in early childhood education or child growth and development, an elementary education degree with teaching certification, or an active National Early Childhood Credential or Birth Through Five FCCPC.
Can you take the behavioral observation and screening exam without the course?
Once. Handbook section 4.4.1 gives one opportunity to exempt a course by scoring a weighted 70 or better on its exam before attending. After a failed attempt, the Department's exam page says the course comes first.