1. Orientation for New Staff Lynne Kahn Kathy Hebbeler The Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Center Early Childhood Outcomes Center September 2011

2. Early Childhood Outcomes Center What We Will Cover  Why measure child and family outcomes?  Family Indicator C4  Indicators C3 and B7  The three child outcomes  The 5 progress categories  The 2 summary statements  Approaches to child outcomes  Common challenges 2

3. Why are state early intervention and preschool special education agencies collecting data on child and family outcomes? Why Collect Outcome Data? Early Childhood Outcomes Center 3

4. Why? Accountability –Federal government (Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education) requires that states submit data on outcomes –In some states, policy-makers are asking for outcome data Program Improvement –State agencies (and local programs) want to use data on outcomes to improve services for children and families Early Childhood Outcomes Center 4

5. Federal Forces Proving Impetus for Data on Child Outcomes Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Early Childhood Outcomes Center 5

6. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act SEC. 616. > MONITORING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND ENFORCEMENT. `` 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 6

7. Family Indicator: C4 Early Childhood Outcomes Center 7

8. APR Requirements for Part C Percent of families participating in Part C who report that EI services have helped the family: –Know their rights –Effectively communicate their children’s needs –Help their children develop and learn Early Childhood Outcomes Center 8

9. APR Requirements for Part B, Section 619 Preschool Programs Percent of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with disabilities no specific indicator for preschool, nor the expectation for examining preschool family involvement separately from Part B Early Childhood Outcomes Center 9

10. State Approaches for Family Indicator ECO Family Outcomes Survey, Items 16- 18 (25 states) NCSEAM Impact on Family Scale (24 states) State Survey (6 states) Early Childhood Outcomes Center 10

11. Comparison of the ECO and NCSEAM instruments in relation to content  The instruments were developed separately by ECO and NCSEAM, but both centers used significant input from families and other stakeholders to develop instrument content  The content of both instruments goes beyond the content of the three indicators specified in Part C Indicator 4 Early Childhood Outcomes Center 11

12. Challenges Related to Family Surveys Need to increase the response rates Determining and increasing the representativeness of the data Interpreting the data to improve outcomes for families Early Childhood Outcomes Center 12

13. OSEP Reporting Requirements: Child Outcomes Early Childhood Outcomes Center 13

14. Early Childhood Outcomes Center Goal of Early Intervention and 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.” 14 (from Early Childhood Outcomes Center, http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~eco/pdfs/eco_outcomes_4-13-05.pdf)

15. Early Childhood Outcomes Center Understanding the Three Child Outcomes 15

16. 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 16

17. 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 17

18. Early Childhood Outcomes Center Functional Outcomes are NOT A single behavior The sum of a series of discrete behaviors or splinter skills such as….. *Knows 10 words*Pincer grasp (picks up a raisin) *Smiles at mom *Goes up and down stairs with one foot on each stair *Stacks 3 blocks 18

19. 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 Almost always involve multiple domains Emphasize how the child is able to carry out meaningful behaviors in a meaningful context 19

20. Early Childhood Outcomes Center Thinking Functionally Discrete behaviors (e.g., those described by some items on assessments) may or may not be important to the child’s functioning on the outcome Individually, they are not especially informative Summed, they may or may not be useful, depending on the functionality of the behaviors/items 20

21. Early Childhood Outcomes Center Children Have Positive Social Relationships 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 21

22. Early Childhood Outcomes Center Children 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 and receptive language and communication –Early literacy 22

23. Early Childhood Outcomes Center Children Take Appropriate Action 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 23

24. Early Childhood Outcomes Center Taking Action to Meet Needs 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 24

25. Early Childhood Outcomes Center Outcomes Reflect Global Functioning Each outcome is a snapshot of: –The whole child –Status of the child’s current functioning –Functioning across settings and situations Rather than: –Skill by skill –In one standardized way –Split by domains 25

26. 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 26

27. 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 and ECSE are trying to move children closer to age expected behavior 27

28. Early Childhood Outcomes Center FunctioningFunctioning 28

29. Early Childhood Outcomes Center Entry 29

30. Early Childhood Outcomes Center EntryExit 30

31. Early Childhood Outcomes Center EntryExit 31

32. 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 32

33. Early Childhood Outcomes Center Understanding the reporting categories a - e e. % of children who maintain functioning at a level comparable to same- aged peers 33

34. Early Childhood Outcomes Center EntryExit 34

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36. Early Childhood Outcomes Center d. % of children who improve functioning to reach a level comparable to same-aged peers 36

37. Early Childhood Outcomes Center EntryExit 37

38. Early Childhood Outcomes Center c. % of children who improved functioning to a level nearer to same aged peers, but did not reach it 38

39. Early Childhood Outcomes Center EntryExit 39

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41. Early Childhood Outcomes Center b. % of children who improved functioning, but not sufficient to move nearer to same aged peers 41

42. Early Childhood Outcomes Center EntryExit 42

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45. Early Childhood Outcomes Center a. % of children who did not improve functioning 45

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47. Early Childhood Outcomes Center EntryExit 47

48. The Summary Statements 1.Of those children who entered the program below age expectations in each Outcome, the percent who substantially increased their rate of growth by the time they turned 3 [6] years of age or exited the program. c + d/ (a+b+c+d) Early Childhood Outcomes Center 48

49. The Summary Statements 2. The percent of children who were functioning within age expectations in each Outcome by the time they turned 3 [6] years of age or exited the program. d + e/(a+b+c+d+e) Early Childhood Outcomes Center 49

50. The concepts are easier than the words or the formulas Summary statement 1: How many children changed growth trajectories during their time in the program? Summary statement 2: How many children were functioning like same aged peers when they left the program? Early Childhood Outcomes Center 50

51. Approach Part C (56 states/jurisdictions) Preschool (59 states/jurisdictions) COS 7 pt. scale 41/56 (73%)37/59 (63%) One tool statewide 7/56 (13%)9/59 (15%) Publishers’ online analysis 3/56 (5%)6/59 (10%) Other5/56 (9%)7/59 (12%) State Approaches to Measuring Child Outcomes - 2011 Early Childhood Outcomes Center51

52. Early Childhood Outcomes Center All approaches have challenges ApproachChallenges One tool statewide Defining age expectations Determining cutoffs for enough progress to be considered a change in growth trajectory 52

53. Early Childhood Outcomes Center All approaches have challenges ApproachChallenges Publishers’ analysis of on- line assessment tools Aligning assessment tool items with the 3 outcomes Programming the analysis to be comparable to other measurement approaches 53

54. Early Childhood Outcomes Center All approaches have challenges ApproachChallenges Child Outcome Summary Form Getting consistency of interpretation and use Requires understanding of child development 54

55. Early Childhood Outcomes Center Themes of Agenda Sessions Quality Assurance Training and TA – state strategies and resources Collaboration –Across Early Care and Education Understanding and communicating outcomes data at the local and family level 55

56. Early Childhood Outcomes Center Themes of Agenda Sessions Using data for program improvement Effective practices to improve outcomes Sustaining change Family outcomes –Using data for improving family services and supports –Return rates and representative data 56

57. Questions or comments? Early Childhood Outcomes Center 57 www.the-eco-center.org