Abstract The extensive use of standardized test for young children has threatened the quality of early childhood education in the United states. Many tests with psychometric deficiencies were widely used to assess American young children. A large number of the tests were not used as designed. What is worse, the results of such tests were abused as absolute criteria for making decisions of student placement and evaluating teacher performance. As a result, the inappropriate use of these tests has led to test-driven curricula and escalation of academic demands in American early childhood education.