Transcript Part C and Preschool Child Outcome Indicators

Refresher: Background on
Federal and State
Requirements
Objectives




Understand the purposes of the child outcomes
data collection
Be familiar with key considerations related to
accurately completing the Child Outcomes
Summary Form
Be able to evaluate child outcomes data for
accuracy as part of supervision
Understand the use of child outcomes data for
program improvement, including for instruction,
resource allocation, and professional
development
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Why are we doing this?
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Keeping our eye on
the prize:
High quality services
for children and
families that will lead
to good outcomes.
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Goal of early childhood
special education
“…To enable young children to be active
and successful participants during the early
childhood years and in the future in a
variety of settings – in their homes with
their families, in child care, in preschool or
school programs, and in the community.”
(from Early Childhood Outcomes Center,
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~eco/pdfs/eco_outcomes_4-13-05.pdf)
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High Quality Data on Outcomes

Data are a piece of a system that
helps to achieve overarching goals for
children and families

Data yield
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Evidence that allows you to make an
inference that should lead to specific
actions to improve the system.
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System for Producing Good Child and
Family Outcomes
Adequate funding
Good
Federal
policies and
programs
Good State
policies and
programs
Good Local
policies and
programs
Strong Leadership
Prof’l Development
•Preservice
•Inservice
High quality
services and
supports for
children 0-5
and their
families
Good
outcomes
for
children
and
families
The Vision: Using Data as a Tool for
Program Improvement

States will have quality data available
on an ongoing basis about multiple
components of the system

Outcomes for children and families

Programs and services provided

Personnel (types, qualifications, etc.)

Etc.
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Driving Force for Data on Child Outcomes
Comes from the Federal Level
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Government Performance and Results
Act (GPRA)
Program Assessment Rating Tool
(PART)
Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA)
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Government Performance and Results
Act (GPRA) passed in 1993
 Requires goals and indicators be
established for IDEA
 Indicators and data collection further along
for school age population than for EC
 Previously, for early childhood data had
been collected on:
• Number of children served
• Settings
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PART evaluation results (2002)
 130 programs examined in 2002; 50%
programs had no performance data
 Programs looking at inputs, not results
 Part C and Section 619

No long-term child outcome goals or data

Need to develop a strategy to collect
annual performance data in a timely
manner
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Federal Funding for Preschool Special
Education
Total U.S.
2004
$387,699,000
2005
$381,385,691
2006
$380,751,030
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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
SEC. 616. <<NOTE: 20 USC 1416.>>
MONITORING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND
ENFORCEMENT. ``(a) Federal and State Monitoring.…..
…..
``(2) Focused monitoring.--The primary focus of
Federal and State monitoring activities described in
paragraph (1) shall be on-- ``(A) improving educational
results and functional outcomes for all children with
disabilities;
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How Office of Special Education
(OSEP) responded

Required states to submit outcome
data in their Annual Performance
Report (APR)
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Funded the Early Childhood Outcomes
(ECO) Center to do research, make
recommendations, and assist states
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Where are we now:
Federal reporting requirements
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OSEP Reporting Requirements:
the Outcomes
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Positive social emotional skills
(including positive social
relationships)
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Acquisition and use of knowledge and
skills (including early language/
communication [and early literacy])
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Use of appropriate behaviors to meet
their needs
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OSEP Reporting Categories
Percentage of children who:
a. Did not improve functioning
b. Improved functioning, but not sufficient to move
nearer to functioning comparable to same-aged
peers
c. Improved functioning to a level nearer to sameaged peers but did not reach it
d. Improved functioning to reach a level comparable
to same-aged peers
e. Maintained functioning at a level comparable to
same-aged peers
3 outcomes x 5 “measures” = 15 numbers
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Reporting Schedule
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Due February 2008
Data in reporting
categories at exit for all
children who have been
in the program for at
least 6 months
Must be reported for the
year beginning July 1,
2006
Repeat with next year’s
data in 2009, etc.
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
2010
States must set targets
Summary statements
for targets
recommended; not yet
official*
States must report
data to public by
school districts for
these target numbers
*See http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~ECO/meetings.cfm for more information on
recommended targets
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Where are we now:
State decisions and activities
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WHY?
(State Version)
Purpose
To respond to
federal
reporting
requirements
Early Childhood Outcomes Center
To have data for
program
improvement
and
to respond to
federal reporting
requirements
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WHY?
(Local Version)
Purpose
To provide
data to the
state
Early Childhood Outcomes Center
To have data for
program
improvement
and
to provide data to
the state
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State approaches
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Most states have embraced outcomes
measurement and are collecting outcomes
data for their own purposes.

Many states are building bigger systems
than needed to produce the federal data.
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Go to www.the-eco-center.org for more
information about what other states are
doing
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How are states collecting child
outcomes data?
Possible state approaches to collection of
child data

Child Outcomes Summary Form (COSF)
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Publisher’s online assessment system
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Single assessment statewide
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Other approaches
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State Approaches to Measuring
Child Outcomes
Approach
One tool
statewide
Multiple
Publishers’ online
tools
COSF 7 pt. scale
Other
Part C
Preschool
(56 states)
(59 states)
8/56 (14%)
13/59 (22%)
2/56 (4%)
3/59 (5%)
40/56 (71%)
36/59 (61%)
6/56 (11%)
7/59 (12%)
Checking in – How is it going?
Implementing the Child Outcomes
Process
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What is going well?
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What is not going well?
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Are there other issues or concerns that
need to be addressed about the
process?
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