Final answer:
Preschool tests serve to identify children in need of intervention, but they also have other purposes like informing instruction. Interventions to reduce the achievement gap include providing educational resources and fostering parental involvement. Standardized tests require norming on a representative sample.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'The greatest value of preschool tests is their use in identifying children who are in the low range of functioning and in need of intervention' reflects a common perspective on the role of assessment in early childhood education. Preschool tests can indeed be valuable tools for identifying children who may benefit from early intervention services. However, they also serve other important purposes, such as informing instruction, supporting individualized learning, and tracking developmental progress.
To further decrease the achievement gap, other interventions could include providing additional resources such as books and educational materials to under-resourced communities, training for parents on how to support their children's education at home, and creating community programs focused on early literacy and numeracy skills. Activities implemented could include reading clubs, math games, interactive science exhibits, and programs that promote parental involvement in their child's learning.
Regarding standardized tests, for a test to be normed and standardized, it is critical that it is tested on b. a representative sample which reflects the population it is intended to measure.