1. What’s Unique about the Child Outcome Summary Process in Minnesota: 2015-2016
“Leading for educational excellence and equity. Every day for every one.”

2. Purpose
This PowerPoint was developed as a companion to Session Two of the Child Outcome Summary Form and Process online module developed by the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center and the DaSY Center. The module is available at Just For Me Activity Two in Session Two is called Digging Deeper--What's Unique About the COS Process in My State?
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3. Session 2-Activity 2
This activity challenged participants to better understand important aspects of their state-specific system through a set of important questions. This presentation includes each challenge and provides information and answers in response.
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4. Challenge 1
Where will you find current information about Minnesota’s policies and resources on the COS process (e.g., a website, a guidance or FAQ document, contact information for a person in a specific role in the state or program)?
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5. Response 1
Materials, including this presentation, may be accessed under the INSPIRE ACTION tab of the Minnesota Centers of Excellence website at Explore under Ongoing Data-Driven Improvement: Data Collection
MDE posts guidance on the MDE website under School Support/Data Submission/ECSE Outcomes.
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6. Challenge 2
What training and support related to the COS process is available or expected in my state?
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7. Response 2
In addition to guidance available on the MDE and CoE websites, including this module, use of the newly developed ECTA/DaSY module is promoted. Local ECSE program leaders may also request on-site professional development on the child outcome summary form and process from MDE. Contact Lisa Backer to request individualized training at
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8. Challenge 3
Find and learn about your state’s policies on completing the COS process at entry, which includes:
Which children are included in the COS entry rating process? (e.g., all children, only children over 6 months of age, whether to complete if a child moves from another program in your state)
When is it done? (e.g., within first 60 days, at first IFSP/IEP meeting)
Who participates in determining the COS rating? (e.g., only service providers, service providers and family members)
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9. Challenge 3, continued
Find and learn about your state’s policies on completing the COS process at entry, which includes:
At what points do providers share information about the COS process with family members?
Where/how are the entry ratings recorded? What documentation is expected when the COS process is completed?
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10. Response 3A
Minnesota’s Part C entry rating process includes infants and toddlers younger than 30 months when they begin early intervention. These children are able to be served for six months or more. Part B entry includes all children who begin preschool special education and can receive six months of service or more before entering kindergarten
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11. Response 3A, continued
Children may have initial eligibility established by their resident district and may begin service from another district if the family moves or parents choose to open enroll.
Entry ratings are the responsibility of the first district to deliver a service through an IFSP or IEP and are not the responsibility of the evaluating district.
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12. Response 3B
Entry ratings for Part C and Part B are typically made within the first month of service. Ratings for children who simultaneously exit Part C and enter Part B at age 3 may within 30 days of the third birthday. Each local system must assign responsibility for these ratings considering local program infrastructure. Check with your ECSE coordinator or program leader to find out who in your system contributes to these ratings.
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13. Response 3C
Ratings are made by the service delivery team, lead by the IFSP service coordinator or IEP manager. Parents and other early care and education professionals contribute important information to the assessment process data that forms the foundation for the ratings.
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14. Response 3D
Information about the Child Outcome Summary process may be shared with parents as they enter or exit a program or at any point during their enrollment. The PACER Center has developed a brochure just for families. Find this brochure at
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15. Response 3E
Local programs have options in how they record and prepare to report child outcome ratings. These options include:
A paper version of the Child Outcome Summary Form (COSF) submitted following local protocol
The COSF completed as a word document submitted following local protocol
The COSF completed as part of the district’s special education due process software package
Check with your ECSE coordinator for information.
education.state.mn.us

16. Challenge 4
Find and learn about your state’s policies on completing the COS process at exit, which includes:
Which children are included in the COS exit rating process? (e.g., all children, only children who have been in the program at least 6 months, only children exiting the program for specific reasons, children transitioning from your program to another program within the state)
How does your state “flag” a child as exiting or a family is no longer participating in services and indicate that the exit COS is needed?
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17. Challenge 4, continued
Find and learn about your state’s policies on completing the COS process at exit, which includes:
When is it done? (e.g., one month before exit, at an IFSP review meeting, at an exit meeting?)
Who participates in determining the COS rating? (e.g., only service providers, service providers and family members)
Where/how are the exit ratings recorded? What documentation is expected when the COS process is completed?
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18. Response 4A
Child outcome summary ratings are made for any child served by Minnesota’s Part C system for a minimum of 6 months and is exiting for any of these reasons
Child is turning 3
Child is determined to no longer be an infant or toddler with a disability
Child is moving out of state
Parents are voluntarily discontinuing service
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19. Response 4A continued
Part B child outcome summary ratings are made for any child served by Minnesota’s preschool special education system for a minimum of 6 months and is exiting for any of these reasons:
Child is transitioning to kindergarten
Child is evaluated and determined to no longer be a child with a disability
Child is moving out of state
Parents are voluntarily discontinuing service
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20. Response 4B
The state using the Minnesota Automated Reporting Student System (MARSS) to identify which children should be included in the Part C or Part B exit data set.
Enrollment data reported through MARSS is used to determine which children have been served for a minimum of six months and when the child has exited.
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21. Response 4C and 4D
Exit ratings are made within one month of program exit by a group of service providers.
Parents and other adults who know how the child functions across settings and situations provide information captured as part of the assessment process.
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22. Response 4E
Local programs have options in how they record and prepare to report child outcome exit ratings. These options include:
A paper version of the Child Outcome Summary Form (COSF) submitted following local protocol
The COSF completed as a word document submitted following local protocol
The COSF completed as part of the district’s special education due process software package
Check with your ECSE coordinator for information.
education.state.mn.us

23. Challenge 5
Are there any other points in time when your state or program requires completion of the COS process (e.g., at every IEP annual review)?
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24. Response 5
MDE believes in the importance of ongoing assessment to provide important information to parents and other members of a child’s IFSP or IEP team.
MDE requires assessment data to be converted to child outcome summary ratings at program entry and program exit only.
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25. Challenge 6
Are there particular assessments instruments or tools that are recommended or required to use to inform the COS process?
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26. Response 6
MDE empowers local programs to select and use assessment tools that best meet the needs of the children and families they serve.
Assessment or evaluation tools used to inform COSF ratings must have been cross-walked by the Early Childhood Outcome Center for this purpose.
Instrument cross-walks are available on the Early Childhood Technical Assistance website at
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27. Challenge 7
When and with whom are COS ratings shared in my state (e.g., shared across Part C and Part B programs, summaries of state shared between state and local programs at specific intervals or in certain ways, etc.)?
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28. Response 7
The performance of each local program is posted annually under Data Reports and Analytics in the Data Center tab of MDE’s website.
Greater performance detail is shared annually with each local program leader. Ask to see your districts Part C or Part B Pattern Checking Document.
A secure extract of district data has been developed and is now available to support local programs to use their data to guide program improvement.
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29. One Final Challenge
The COSF and Process Rating Tool is posted with this presentation on the Centers of Excellence website.
Print this document. Use it to reflect on the process used to complete your last, or next, Child Outcome Summary Form.
Share what you learn with your program leader.
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