1. Refresher: Background on Federal and State Requirements

2. 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
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

3. Why are we doing this?
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

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

5. 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,
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

6. High Quality Data on Outcomes
Data are a piece of a system that helps to achieve overarching goals for children and families
Data yield
Evidence that allows you to make an inference that should lead to specific actions to improve the system.
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

7. System for Producing Good Child and Family Outcomes
Adequate funding
Good outcomes for children and families
Good Federal policies and programs
High quality services and supports for children 0-5 and their families
Good State policies and programs
Good Local policies and programs
Strong Leadership
Prof’l Development
Preservice
Inservice

8. 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.
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

9. Driving Force for Data on Child Outcomes Comes from the Federal Level
Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)
Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART)
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

10. 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
Notes from OSEP’s slides: Lou
GPRA:
Passed in 1993
Applies to all federal agencies
Requires that a set of indicators be established in order to judge the effectiveness of programs meeting their goals
OSEP has established GPRA indicators for all IDEA programs, including Parts B, C, and D that are reported to Congress annually.
For the Part C indicators, OSEP has collected data on the total number of children served and the number of children served under the age of one, and on settings where services are provided to eligible children
For 619, OSEP has collected data on settings where children receive special education and related services
Thus far OSEP has not yet collected and reported data on the functional abilities of children and family outcomes
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

11. 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
During the 2003 budget period, the Administration rated approximately 130 federal programs on their effectiveness using part
50% of the these programs had no performance data
Programs tend to use inputs or process data, rather than results or outcome data
Specifically for Part C and Section 619: did not do well in the area of accountability/results because there were no long-term child outcome goals; no child outcome data. The recommendation from the PART is that OSEP needs to develop a strategy to collect annual performance data (child and family outcomes) in a timely manner
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

14. Federal Funding for Preschool Special Education
Total U.S.
2004
$387,699,000
2005
$381,385,691
2006
$380,751,030
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

15. Early Childhood Outcomes Center

16. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
SEC <<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;
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

17. How Office of Special Education (OSEP) responded
Required states to submit outcome data in their Annual Performance Report (APR)
Funded the Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Center to do research, make recommendations, and assist states
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

18. Federal reporting requirements
Where are we now:
Federal reporting requirements
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

19. OSEP Reporting Requirements: the 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

20. 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

21. Reporting Schedule
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.
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 for more information on recommended targets
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

22. State decisions and activities
Where are we now:
State decisions and activities
We are focusing the remaining discussion on states activities – because this work is unfolding in states.
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

23. WHY? Purpose (State Version) To have data for program improvement and
to respond to federal reporting requirements
To respond to federal reporting requirements
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

24. WHY? Purpose (Local Version) To have data for program improvement and
to provide data to the state
To provide data to the state
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

25. State approaches
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.
Go to for more information about what other states are doing
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

26. How are states collecting child outcomes data?
Possible state approaches to collection of child data
Child Outcomes Summary Form (COSF)
Publisher’s online assessment system
Single assessment statewide
Other approaches
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

27. State Approaches to Measuring Child Outcomes
Part C
(56 states)
Preschool
(59 states)
One tool statewide
8/56 (14%)
13/59 (22%)
Multiple Publishers’ online tools
2/56 (4%)
3/59 (5%)
COSF 7 pt. scale
40/56 (71%)
36/59 (61%)
Other
6/56 (11%)
7/59 (12%)

28. Checking in – How is it going?
Implementing the Child Outcomes Process
What is going well?
What is not going well?
Are there other issues or concerns that need to be addressed about the process?
Early Childhood Outcomes Center