Early Childhood Outcomes Workgroup Christina Kasprzak and Lynne Kahn ECO and NECTAC July 2009

Early Childhood Outcomes Center Goals for today Set targets for two summary statements for each of the three child outcomes Identify potential improvement activities that will help the state meet the targets

Early Childhood Outcomes Center What We Will Cover  Why we’re measuring outcomes  OSEP requirements and timelines  The three child outcomes  The Child Outcomes Summary Form (COSF)  The 5 child progress categories

Early Childhood Outcomes Center What We Will Cover  Understand Summary Statements and Target Setting requirements  Look at the state’s child outcomes data  Set targets and identify improvement activities

Why are we measuring child outcomes? Early Childhood Outcomes Center

Driving Force for Data on Child Outcomes Comes from the Federal Level Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) – passed in 1992 Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 130 programs examined in 2002; 50% programs had no performance data Programs were 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 PART evaluation results (2002)

Early Childhood Outcomes Center SEC > 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; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Early Childhood Outcomes Center How Office of Special Education (OSEP) responded to PART Required states to submit outcome data in their State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR) Funded the Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Center in October 2003 to gather input, conduct research, make recommendations, and assist states

Early Childhood Outcomes Center Critical Events in EI/ECSE Accountability 1992 –Osborne and Graebler, Reinventing Government 1993 – GPRA (Government Performance and Results Act) passed Intervening years… – PART (Program Assessment Rating Tool) finds there are no data on outcomes for Part C or Part B Preschool 2003 – OSEP begins to ask states for child outcome data (and funds the ECO Center) 2005, 2006 – OSEP releases revisions to the reporting requirements

Early Childhood Outcomes Center Initially, a 5-year project funded by OSEP in October Funded again October 2008 for another 5 years. Provide national leadership to assist states with the implementation of high-quality outcomes systems for early intervention and preschool special education programs. Provide TA to states, as needed, in measuring child and family outcomes 12

Federal Reporting Requirements Early Childhood Outcomes Center

OSEP Reporting Requirements: Child Outcomes –Positive social emotional skills (including positive social relationships) –Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills (including early language/ communication [and early literacy]) –Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 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 same-aged 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

Early Childhood Outcomes Center Reporting Schedule 2008 and 2009 Data in reporting categories at exit for all children who have been in the program for at least 6 months First submission was due February 2008 for the year July 1, June 30, in SPP format: –Baseline –Targets for 2 reporting years –Improvement activities for 2 reporting years 2011 and 2012 in APR format: –Actual data, progress and slippage, etc. –Local reporting of [summary statement %s]

Early Childhood Outcomes Center For more information on Summary Statements and Target Setting Options and ECO Recommendations for Summary Statements for Target Setting Summary Statement Slides Target Setting Slides

Early Childhood Outcomes Center18 Keeping our eye on the prize: High quality services for children and families that will lead to good outcomes.

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 19 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,

Understanding the three child outcomes Early Childhood Outcomes Center

Three Child Outcomes Children have positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships) Children acquire and use knowledge and skills (including early language/communication [and early literacy]) Children use appropriate behaviors to meet their needs

Early Childhood Outcomes Center Outcomes Are Functional Functional outcomes: Refer to things that are meaningful to the child in the context of everyday living Refer to an integrated series of behaviors or skills that allow the child to achieve the important everyday goals

Early Childhood Outcomes Center Functional Outcomes Not domains-based, not separating child development into discrete areas (communication, gross motor, etc.) Refer to behaviors that integrate skills across domains Can involve multiple domains Emphasize how the child is able to carry out meaningful behaviors in a meaningful context

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 1. Positive Social-Emotional Skills Involves: –Relating with adults –Relating with other children –For older children, following rules related to groups or interacting with others Includes areas like: –Attachment/separation/autonomy –Expressing emotions and feelings –Learning rules and expectations –Social interactions and play

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 2. Acquire and Use Knowledge and Skills Involves: –Thinking –Reasoning –Remembering –Problem solving –Using symbols and language –Understanding physical and social worlds Includes: –Early concepts—symbols, pictures, numbers, classification, spatial relationships –Imitation –Object permanence –Expressive language and communication –Early literacy

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 3. Use Appropriate Behavior to Meet Their Needs Involves: –Taking care of basic needs –Getting from place to place –Using tools (e.g., fork, toothbrush, crayon) –In older children, contributing to their own health and safety Includes: –Integrating motor skills to complete tasks –Self-help skills (e.g., dressing, feeding, grooming, toileting, household responsibility) –Acting on the world to get what one wants

Early Childhood Outcomes Center Meeting Needs (Continued) Includes –Integrating various skills (gross motor, fine motor, communication skills) to complete tasks –Self help skills (feeding, dressing, toileting, household task) –Acting on the world to get what he or she wants –Not JUST acting on the world: takes APPROPRIATE action to meet needs

Child Outcomes Summary Form (COSF) Early Childhood Outcomes Center

29 The COSF 7 point rating scale Team summarizes multiple data sources (NOT an assessment) Rating the status of child’s functioning at entry and again at exit Comparing child’s functioning to what is expected at his/her age

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 30 The two COSF questions a. To what extent does this child show age- appropriate functioning, across a variety of settings and situations, on this outcome? (Rating: 1-7) b. Has the child shown any new skills or behaviors related to [this outcome] since the last outcomes summary? (Yes-No)

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 31 Essential Knowledge for Completing the Child Outcomes Summary Form Between them, team members must: 1.Know about the child’s functioning across settings and situations 2.Understand age-expected child development 3.Understand the content of the three child outcomes 4.Know how to use the rating scale 5.Understand age expectations for child functioning within the child’s culture

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 32 7 – Completely Child shows functioning expected for his or her age in all or almost all everyday situations that are part of the child’s life. Functioning is considered appropriate for his or her age. No one has any concerns about the child’s functioning in this outcome area.

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 33 6 – Between 5 and 7 Child’s functioning generally is considered appropriate for his or her age but there are some significant concerns about the child’s functioning in this outcome area. These concerns are substantial enough to suggest monitoring or possible additional support. Although age-appropriate, the child’s functioning may border on not keeping pace with age expectations.

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 34 5 – Somewhat Child shows functioning expected for his or her age some of the time and/or in some settings and situations. Child’s functioning is a mix of age-appropriate and not age-appropriate behaviors and skills. Child’s functioning might be described as like that of a slightly younger child.

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 35 4 – Between 3 and 5 Child shows occasional age-appropriate functioning across settings and situations. More functioning is not age-appropriate than age- appropriate.

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 36 3 – Nearly Child does not yet show functioning expected of a child of his or her age in any situation. Child uses immediate foundational skills, most or all of the time, across settings and situations. Immediate foundational skills are the skills upon which to build age- appropriate functioning. Functioning might be described as like that of a younger child.

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 37 2 – Between 1 and 3 Child occasionally uses immediate foundational skills across settings and situations. More functioning reflects skills that are not immediate foundational than are immediate foundational.

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 38 1 – Not yet Child does not yet show functioning expected of a child his or her age in any situation. Child’s functioning does not yet include immediate foundational skills upon which to build age-appropriate functioning. Child functioning reflects skills that developmentally come before immediate foundational skills. Child’s functioning might be described as like that of a much younger child.

Early Childhood Outcomes Center39

Understanding the OSEP progress categories Early Childhood Outcomes Center

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 same-aged 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

Early Childhood Outcomes Center Helping Children Move Toward Age-expected Functioning Assumption: Children can be described with regard to how close they are to age expected functioning for each of the 3 outcomes By definition, most children in the general population demonstrate the outcome in an age-expected way By providing services and supports, EI/ECSE is trying to move children closer to age expected behavior

Early Childhood Outcomes Center Key Point The OSEP categories describe types of progress children can make between entry and exit Two scores or ratings (entry and exit) are needed to calculate what OSEP category describes a child progress

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 44 Must have: 2 data points to calculate progress Two COSF ratings (entry and exit) are needed to calculate the OSEP category that describes a child’s progress Service providers are not responsible for calculating progress (this happens at the state level)

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 45 The “a” category a. Percent of preschool children who did not improve functioning –Children who acquired no new skills or regressed during their time in the program –Didn’t gain or use even one new skill –Children with degenerative conditions/ significant disabilities

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 46 COSF ratings and the “a” category Rated lower at exit than entry; OR Rated 1 at both entry and exit; AND Scored “No” on the progress question (b)

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 47 EntryExit

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 48 EntryExit

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 49 The “b” category b. Percent of preschool children who improved functioning but not sufficient to move nearer to functioning comparable to same-aged peers –Children who acquired new skills but continued to grow at the same rate throughout their time in the program –Gained and used new skills but did not increase their rate of growth or change their growth trajectories while in services

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 50 COSF ratings and the “b” category Rated 5 or lower at entry; AND Rated the same or lower at exit; AND “Yes” on the progress question (b)

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 51 EntryExit

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 52 EntryExit

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 53 EntryExit

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 54 The “c” category c. Percent of preschool children who improved functioning to a level nearer to same-aged peers but did not reach it –Children who acquired new skills but accelerated their rate of growth during their time in the program –Made progress toward catching up with same aged peers but were still functioning below age expectations when they left the program –Changed their growth trajectories --“narrowed the gap”

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 55 COSF ratings and the “c” category Rated higher at exit than entry; AND Rated 5 or below at exit

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 56 EntryExit

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 57 The “d” category d. Percent of preschool children who improved functioning to reach a level comparable to same- aged peers –Children who were functioning below age expectations when they entered the program but were functioning at age expectations when they left –Started out below age expectations, but caught up while in services

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 58 COSF ratings and the “d” category Rated 5 or lower at entry; AND Rated 6 or 7 at exit

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 59 EntryExit

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 60 The “e” category e. Percent of preschool children who maintained functioning at a level comparable to same-aged peers –Children who were functioning at age expectations when they entered the program and were functioning at age expectations when they left –Entered the program at age expectations and were still up with age expectations at exit

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 61 COSF ratings and the “e” category Rated 6 or 7 at entry; AND Rated 6 or 7 at exit

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 62 EntryExit

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 63 EntryExit