How AEPS-3 Supports Early Math Skills in Young Children

Published September 1, 2025

A curriculum-based assessment for children from birth to age six, AEPS-3 includes some exciting additions to support emergent math skills in young children. Get the details in this Q&A with AEPS®-3 coauthor Marisa Macy, Ph.D., a University of Wyoming professor and expert on early childhood special education and early intervention.

Q. Does AEPS-3 include a math area/domain?

A. Yes. The third edition of AEPS includes an area devoted to math, plus another new area on literacy. The AEPS-3 math area is aligned with early childhood state standards. See the alignments on this page to find out how the early learning guidelines in your state align with the areas, strands, goals, and objectives of AEPS-3.

Q. How can AEPS-3 be used to support math development in young children?

A. The AEPS-3 Test and the three-tiered Curriculum both help support young children’s math development. The assessment part of AEPS-3 can be used to assess children’s emergent math skills. These images show the math area of the AEPS-3 Child Observation Data Form (CODF) in English and Spanish:

The curriculum part of AEPS-3 can be used to create developmental and learning opportunities for children’s emergent math skills. The AEPS-3 curriculum has a multi-tiered framework for supporting children’s early math skills, including counting, comparing items in sets, reading and writing numbers, and addition and subtraction.

The Skills Matrix shows what activities you can do to promote the child’s emergent math skills.

Q. What are ways that professionals can use AEPS-3 to support family engagement in their child’s math development?

A. Our AEPS-3 development team recognizes the importance of ongoing family involvement in the assessment and intervention process. AEPS-3 includes two tools that encourage the family’s involvement in helping their child develop skills in key areas, including math.

First, the user-friendly AEPS-3 Family Report can be used to gather open-ended information about the child and their family. Using the qualitative information gained from the Family Report, you can identify ways to create embedded learning opportunities to help strengthen the child’s early math skills.

The AEPS-3 Family Assessment of Child Skills (FACS) can target development of math skills in the child based on the family’s perspective. The family completes the FACS and reviews results with the early childhood professional.

The Spanish version of the AEPS-3 FACS can be used with children and families who have multilingual abilities.

These tools are an excellent way to make the most of the family’s expertise and communicate to parents and other caregivers that their input is essential. Learn more about the AEPS-3 family support materials here.

Q. How can teachers address children’s math development during the important transition from preschool to kindergarten?

A. When we developed AEPS-3, we were careful to include strategies that would facilitate successful transitions from preK settings to kindergarten. The AEPS-3 Ready-Set, a brief assessment and progress monitoring measure that targets skills children need to be successful in kindergarten and first grade, includes six items on early math skills. (Read this article to learn more about the AEPS-3 Ready-Set.)

Also, teachers can use the AEPS-3 Ready Set FACS with family members to facilitate smooth transitions for children across settings.

Two other useful tools to support transitions are:

Q. Is AEPS-3 an evidence-based measure for assessing math development and learning in young children?

A. Yes. Research is under way on the third edition of AEPS. To learn more about the ongoing AEPS-3 research, see the Further Reading section below and visit the website for Early Intervention Management and Research Group (EMRG).