What’s New in the IDC Part C Exiting Data Toolkit Improving data, improving outcomes Aug. 15-17, 2016 Haidee Bernstein, IDC Siobhan Colgan, IDC Luis Romero, IDC

Overview of Part C Exiting Requirements Part of the Section 618 data collection Collected annually in November on children who left the Part C program Grouped into 3 reasons and 10 categories: Program completion (1 category) Exit at age 3 (5 categories) Not receiving services (4 categories)

The Part C Exiting Categories No longer eligible for Part C prior to reaching age three Part B eligible, exiting Part C Part B eligible, continuing in Part C Not eligible for Part B, exit with referrals to other programs Not eligible for Part B, exit with no referrals Part B eligibility not determined Deceased Moved out of state Withdrawal by parent (or guardian) Attempts to contact the parent and/or child were unsuccessful

Goal of the Toolkit The Part C Exiting Data Toolkit is designed to assist states in reporting high-quality Part C exiting data. The major goals are to assist state and local agency staff to: Understand Part C exiting data hierarchy of categories; Stimulate discussions of challenges and solutions in each state; Provide queries to confirm accuracy checks of exiting data; and Understand variation in use of categories across and within states.

Why is it important to understand the Part C Exiting data? States are required to report accurate and complete Part C Exiting data to the Secretary of Education. OSEP needs accurate and complete data for reporting in Annual Report to Congress. Accurate Part C Exiting data provide insight on referral and exiting patterns. Accurate information on children exiting Part C informs the provision of services in both Part C and Part B.

Why is it important to understand the Part C Exiting data? (cont.) Examination of Part C Exiting data provides a context for understanding child progress that may have resulted from Early Intervention. Part C Exiting data may serve as a data check for child outcomes data and may inform local transition policies. Understanding the factors that influence variation in Exiting data can inform data quality improvements.

Overview of the Part C Exiting Data Toolkit Currently there are four sections: The 10 Part C exiting categories Definitions, specific and general challenges with potential solutions, and state variation for each category Data checking patterns to assist state agency staff locate irregularities in their data patterns; and Categories with child-level examples

In the Works: Two new sections of the toolkit: Section 5: Part C Exiting Variation that will explore variation among Part C exiting categories as reported by the 50 states and DC An APP that will allow users game to move easily between OSEP approved scenarios and Part C exiting reasons and categories OSEP-Approved Scenarios Exiting Reasons and Categories

Proposed Section 5 Part C Exiting Data Variation

Under Development: Section 5 Variation in Part C Exiting Data The purposes Explore national variation among exiting data categories Propose possible improvements in data quality The process National data analysis and graphing Focus group with state outliers* Explaining variation among states Identifying potential solutions * Territories/ jurisdictions were excluded as outliers

The National Data: FFY 2013

Explaining Variation in the Data Common issues identified by states Implementation Interpretation Documentation Some variation is expected. Some variation may indicate data quality issue(s).

Possible Explanations of Variation in Specific Categories High incidence of family mobility Differences in eligibility and reassessment policies Referrals and availability of community services Part C to Part B connections vary Communication Data sharing Verification of B eligibility Parent co-pays and parent satisfaction

Improving Part C Exiting Data Quality Common strategies identified by states Use consistent time frame Improve documentation Identify key staff Provide ongoing training Develop unique child identification numbers Develop and use data checks State level Local level With Part B

Improving Data Quality: Connecting Part C and Referral to Part B Strategies identified by states Improve communication between C and B Share C transition and B eligibility processes Develop data sharing agreements Implement data checks

Improving data quality: Parents moved, withdrawn, unable to be contacted Strategies identified by states Add mechanisms to track children’s movement within state data system Establish clear guidance on contacting families Improve training on differentiating between similar categories

Discussion: Data Variation Do you examine your Part C Exiting data for trends? Among local programs or districts Longitudinally Comparing to other similar states What resources on exiting data have you found helpful? Training Data checks

Overview of the APP Being Developed The APP will be in computer and tablet formats. Users will be able to view: Decision tree EMAPS definitions Child scenarios Interactive format

Decision Tree

Let’s Check It Out! https://ideadata.org/resource-library/knowledge-lab/

IDC Scenarios and State Scenarios Share IDC scenarios Share state scenarios

Final Thoughts How can you use these materials at the state and local levels? Are other Part C Exiting resources needed?

For More Information Visit the IDC website http://ideadata.org/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ideadatacenter

The contents of this presentation were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, #H373Y130002. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officers: Richelle Davis and Meredith Miceli