Refresher: Background on Federal and State Requirements

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

Why are we doing this? Early Childhood Outcomes Center

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

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, http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~eco/pdfs/eco_outcomes_4-13-05.pdf) Early Childhood Outcomes Center

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Early Childhood Outcomes Center

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act SEC. 616. <<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

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

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

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

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 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 http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~ECO/meetings.cfm for more information on recommended targets Early Childhood Outcomes Center

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

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

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

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 www.the-eco-center.org for more information about what other states are doing Early Childhood Outcomes Center

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

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%)

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