1. Measuring Outcomes for Programs Serving Young Children with Disabilities
Lynne Kahn and Christina Kasprzak ECO/NECTAC at FPG/UNC
June 2, 2009 1

2. Early Childhood Outcomes Center
Goals for the call:
to provide the latest information on how programs are measuring child and family outcomes to meet federal requirements
to provide information about how PTI staff can be involved in state efforts to measure child and family outcomes
Early Childhood Outcomes Center 2

3. Why are state early intervention and preschool special education agencies collecting data on child and family outcomes?

4. Why outcomes data? Accountability Program Improvement
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

5. Driving force from the federal level
Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)
Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART)
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

6. How Office of Special Education (OSEP) responded to PART
Required states to submit outcome data in their Annual Performance Report (APR)
Funded the Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Center in October 2003 to gather input, conduct research, make recommendations, and assist states

7. Early work of the ECO Center
Convened stakeholders in 2004 to address what the outcomes should be (i.e., what outcomes should states be required to report on for Part C and 619?) and what should be reported about the outcomes
Based on stakeholder input, ECO recommended a set of child and family outcomes in February See

8. OSEP Requirement: Child Outcomes
Percentage of children with IFSPs/IEPs who demonstrate improved:
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

9. State Approaches to Measuring Child Outcomes
Child Outcomes Summary Form (COSF)
Publishers’ online assessments
One tool statewide
Other

10. OSEP Requirement: Family Indicator
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 10 10

11. OSEP Requirement: Family Indicator (3-21)
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
Early Childhood Outcomes Center 11 11

12. State Approaches to Measuring Child Outcomes
ECO Family Survey
NCSEAM Family Survey
State-developed Family Survey
Combination

13. States’ Reporting of Data:
States submit these data (and other data) to OSEP annually in the SPP/APR
SPP = State Performance Plan
APR = Annual Performance Report

14. States’ Reporting of Data:
Feb 2007 – 1st reported entry data
Feb 2008 – 1st reported progress data
Feb 2009 – 2nd year of progress data
Feb 2010 – establish baseline

15. Work of the ECO Center
After reporting requirements released, ECO focused on helping states build measurement systems to collect the data
Continued to work with OSEP as issues related to data collection were uncovered (e.g., FAQs)

16. Early Childhood Outcomes Center
For more information: ECO web site:
Early Childhood Outcomes Center 16