This article compares the different courses of the debate on and the policies of quality evaluation in Early Childhood Education and other basic education stages, demonstrating that until recently their evolution presented very distinct traits. However, it highlights that lately this trend seems to have changed considering the increasing pressure to introduce in the Early Childhood Education network some external assessment systems in order to follow some models that are already implemented in other levels of the education system. Based on this evidence, the article discusses some of the dilemmas and challenges that Early Childhood Education policies and programs have to face related to evaluations, both in view of its quality assessment as well as its impact on children' school progress upon the continuation of their education.
early childhood education; assessment; education quality; education policy