Indicator 7: Measuring Preschool Outcomes Sarah Geldart – MA ESE – Additional Contact: Lauren Viviani – MA 619 Coordinator

Agenda  Overview of State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR)  Indicator 7  Data submission requirements 2

SPP/APR Information  17 indicators of performance or compliance in special education  State identified targets for performance indicators  MA ESE set targets for Indicator #7 based on data & feedback from stakeholders  Data for the state and districts is publically reported.  Massachusetts’ state profile can be found here:  Individual district data can be found here: 3

Indicator 7: Preschool Outcomes Percent of preschool children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs who demonstrate improved: A.Positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships); B.Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills (including early language/communication and early literacy); and C.Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs (20 U.S.C. 1416(a)(3)(A)) 4

Outcome A: 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 5

Outcome B: Children Acquire & Use Knowledge & 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  Object permanence  Expressive language and communication  Early literacy 6

Outcome C: Children Take Appropriate Action to Meet Their Needs Involves:  Taking care of basic needs  Getting from place to place  Using tools  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 7

Indicator 7: Preschool Outcomes  Five Progress Categories for Each Outcome  The percent 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 8

Summary Statements  OSEP has taken the five categories and collapsed them into two summary statements  Summary Statement 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 exited the program.  Summary Statement 2: The percent of children who were functioning within age expectations in each Outcome by the time they exited the program. 9

What is the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) Process?  A team process for reviewing child assessment data from different sources culminating in the ‘rating’ of a child’s functioning on a scale of 1-7  Considers the child’s functioning across situations and settings  At home, in a play group, at the library, in child care, at community events, in preschool, etc.  Compares child’s functioning to same age peers 10

Why was the process developed?  For federal reporting on child outcomes  No method to synthesize child outcomes data from multiple sources  Different programs would be using different assessment instruments, and outcomes data would need to be aggregated across programs 11

Purposes of the COS  It is not an assessment tool  It uses information from multiple sources, including assessment tools, observations, and family interview to get a global sense of how the child is doing at one point in time 12

Features of the COS  7-point rating scale  Rating is based on the child’s functioning:  What the child does across settings and situations  Compared with what is expected given the child’s age  The Child Outcomes Summary Form is used for each child to collect this data: FormandInstructions 13

The Child Outcomes Summary (COS) Process Children ages 3-5 start special education services (Aug. 1 – Dec. 31) Data is collected about functioning across settings and situations (including from families) The COS team meets to discuss functioning, complete the COS Form, and assign a rating for each outcome (ideally within 4-6 weeks of starting services) January – Entry data from the COS Forms is entered into the data collection spreadsheet and submitted to ESE June– Exit data is collected as students exit the program and reported annually to ESE in June 14

Completing the COS Process Please review the free ECTA Modules on the COS Process: essModule or The ESE webinars on the process available on the ECSE webpage: #OUTCOME 15

Fall Submission Requirements

FallSpringFallSpringFallSpringFallSpringFallSpring Cohort 1 Exit data No data Entry dataExit data Cohort 2Entry dataExit data No data Entry dataExit data Cohort 3 Exit dataNo data Entry dataExit data Cohort 4No data Entry dataExit data No data 17 Indicator 7 – Data Collection Schedule For information on your district’s assigned cohort:

District Responsibilities  Collect entry (baseline) data for children with disabilities aged 3-5 starting special education services August 1 st -December 31 st  Collect exit data for any child with an IEP exiting preschool the following spring for whom entry data was collected  Continue collection of exit data each spring until all children who were part of entry data collection have exited the program 18

Data Collection Requirement  The Special Education Planning and Policy Office (SEPP) requires ENTRY and EXIT data for students  As a best practice districts should collect annual progress data  Progress data should not be submitted to ESE 19

Children to Include in Entry Data Collection  Children who transition from an early intervention program to an IEP at age 3  or  Any child ages 3-5 who starts receiving special education services August 1 st -December 31 st  Include a maximum of 40 children  Include children regardless of the type of services they receive or the location in which they receives those services. Including those receiving services at home or from a service provider. 20

Example - Cody  Cody’s parents referred him for special education services prior to his 3 rd birthday  His IEP was signed on 8/15 and he began receiving speech therapy on 8/17.  His COSF was completed on 12/1  Cody’s entry date is August 17 th 21

Example – Miguel  Miguel was receiving EI services and turned 3 on July 1 st  Miguel’s IEP Team decided that he did not need summer services  The IEP was signed June 30 th  Miguel started preschool September 1 st and the COSF was completed September 15 th  Miguel’s entry date is September 1 st 22

Example - Samantha  Samantha attended the preschool program in the school year and was not on an IEP  In October 2015 she was referred to special education and after the IEP was signed she started receiving special education services on November 1 st, 2015  Her COSF was completed on November 30 th  Samantha’s entry date is November 1 st 23

What if I have no students to report?  If no students with disabilities enter your program during the entry data collection period please Sarah Geldart a statement to that effect prior to January 22 nd.  24

Data Submission  January 22  Entry data due to ESE, via the Security Portal  File Name:  District Name_Indicator Seven_Entry_LEACode.xls  Will be uploaded in September of the previous year  After entry data submission:  ESE may request a random sample of COSF forms for review 25

Completing the Data Collection Spreadsheet 26

Data Collection Spreadsheet Entry Data Fields 27

Data Collection Spreadsheet Required Fields for each student: SASID District Name LEA Code DOB Entry Date (Date the student entered the program or IEP is implemented) Outcome ratings for all three outcomes 28

Data Collection Spreadsheet Date the student started special education services Ratings on each Outcome from the COSF 29

Frequently Asked Questions  What does “exit exception” mean?  Yes/no question  “Y” for yes when a student unexpectedly leaves a program without the ability to collect exit data or was in the program less than six months.  This should be blank at entry  What should I put for the exit date?  Blank at entry.  Date the student transitions to kindergarten, leaves the program, or stops receiving IEP services due to no longer being eligible  Please do not “predict out” exit dates in the future for students who have yet to exit  What does “progress” mean?  Has the child gained at least one new skill in this outcome area?  Yes/no question  Answered only at exit. 30

Resources: Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center  Outcomes Measurement PD Resources:   Overview of the COS Process from ECTA:   The Child Outcomes Step-by-Step Video:   Outcome Rating Definitions:   The Ratings Decision Tree: 

Data Submission Timeline August 1-December 31 st Collect entry data on children aged 3-5 starting special education services who are not yet in kindergarten January 22 nd – Entry data due to DESE via Security Portal Spring – ESE may request copies of COSFs June – First round of exit data due to ESE via Security Portal 32

Contact Information for Indicator 7 Primary Contact: Sarah Geldart  – Additional Contact: Lauren Viviani  –