Early Childhood Outcomes Trying to Get The Word Out Maria Synodi, 619 Coordinator Connecticut State Department of Education NECTAC National TA Meeting Measuring Child & Family Outcomes Meeting August 26 – August 28, 2007

Presentation Parameters  Approach to collecting child outcome data in Connecticut  Opportunities to collaborate between Part C and B, 619  Resources, materials to inform personnel, parents  Stakeholder involvement  Dissemination  Future and Next Steps

Connecticut  Small state  Approximately 8,000 eligible children, 5,000 preschoolers  169 towns, 159/160 school districts  Public schools hub for services  Integrated early childhood programs  Largest number and percent of eligible children in Kindergarten

State Performance Plan (SPP) Monitoring Priority: FAPE in the LRE Indicator 7: Percent of preschool children with IEPs who demonstrate improved: Positive social emotional skills (including social relationships) Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills (including early language, communication and early literacy), and Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs. (20 U.S.C. 1416(a)(3)(A))

The Preschool Years Creating a caring community of learners Teaching to enhance development and learning Constructing appropriate curriculum Assessing children’s learning and development Establishing relationships with families and children

Description of the ECO System  One statewide assessment  Brigance IED-II, criterion-referenced  Using selected sub-tests to answer 3 questions  Selected sub-tests as ‘alternate assessment’  Assessment conducted over 4 weeks after entry to special education, prior to exit  Rolling assessment implemented school year (start date May 1 st, 2006)  Unrelated to IEP process

SPP Data Collection  Data collection began May 1, 2006  Entry data submitted in the SPP was from May 1 st, 2006 to June 30, 2006  73 of 159 school districts had 1 or more children The largest number of children in a school district reported was 14  37 school districts reported 1 child  86 school districts had no children

SPP Entry Data  57.7 percent of children (n=101) demonstrated age-appropriate social- emotional skills (including social relationships)  20.6 percent of children (n=36) demonstrated age-appropriate acquisition and use of knowledge and skills (including early language, communication and early literacy), and  34.9 percent of children (n=61) demonstrated age appropriate use of behaviors to meet their needs.

Collaboration with Part C  Not on the ECO  But on everything else …

Birth-5 Logo

Birth-5 Newsletter

Birth-5 Professional Development

Birth-5 Newsletter

 3 times per year  English and Spanish version  Stakeholder – Birth-5 Advisory Board  Disseminated to 0-3 personnel, school districts serving 3-5 and parents  Available 0-3, ECSE web site  Used in trainings by C and B, PTI

Other Dissemination Mechanisms  Birth-3 Web Page  Early Childhood Special Education Web Page  Policy Letters and Memos  Training and Technical Assistance  Partnerships -

Questions?