1. Early On® Michigan Child Outcomes
Measuring Child Outcomes: Am I following the correct recipe?

2. What is an Outcome?
An “outcome” is defined as a benefit experienced as a result of services received.
Thus an outcome is neither the receipt of services nor satisfaction with services,
but rather something that
happens because
services are provided.
Source: ECO Center

3. Why Do We Need To Measure And Report Early Childhood Outcomes?
Federal attention to accountability
2003 Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART)
2003 Early Childhood Outcomes Center (ECO Center)
2004 IDEIA reauthorization – SPP/APR

4. Early On Child Outcomes: SPP Indicator 3
The overarching goal for all children is to be active and successful participants now and in the future, in a variety of settings: 1. Children have positive social relationships. 2. Children acquire and use knowledge and skills. 3. Children take appropriate action to meet their needs.

5. Functional Outcomes:
“The three childhood outcomes are functional in that they reflect a child’s ability to take meaningful action in the context of everyday living.”
“The outcome areas cross developmental domains, emphasizing the integration of skills and behaviors across domains for meaningful action.”
Source: ECO Center

6. A Puzzle
8, 5, 4, 1, 7, 6, 3, 2
Where does 9 go?
Where does 0 go?

7. How Will The Early Childhood Outcomes Be Measured?
Data Sources
Data from one or more assessment tools
Observation
Family Input
Frequency of Measurement
ENTRY data within 90 days of enrollment date
EXIT data within 90 days of exit date
(if enrolled for at least 6 continuous months)

8. For Each Child Enrolled In Early On (referred before 2.5 years old)
Domain/Skill-based information
Comprehensive Developmental Assessment
Other Assessment information (if available)
Rating for Functional Outcome 1
Determine
Rating
Rating for Functional Outcome 2
Functioning across settings and situations
Observation
Parent Input
Rating for Functional Outcome 3
Remember: Need to be able to quantify to aggregate.

9. How Will The Early Childhood Outcomes Be Measured?
Rating Scale 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Not Yet
Emerging
Somewhat
Completely

10. How Will the Early Childhood Outcomes Be Measured?1
Not Yet
Child does not yet show functioning expected of a child his or her age in any situation. Child’s skills and behaviors also do not yet include any immediate foundational skills upon which to build age appropriate functioning. Child’s functioning might be described as that of a much younger child. 2
Between Not Yet
& Emerging
Some of the foundational skills are there, though not all the immediate foundational skills. 3
Emerging
Child does not yet show functioning expected of a child of his or her age in any situation. Child’s behavior and skills include immediate foundational skills upon which to build age appropriate functioning. Functioning might be described as like that of a younger child. 4
Between Emerging
& Somewhat
Immediate foundational skills are in place, and child has demonstrated age appropriate skills once or twice, perhaps not deliberately. 5
Somewhat
Child shows functioning expected for his or her age some of the time and/or in some situations. Child’s functioning is a mix of age appropriate and not appropriate functioning. Functioning might be described as like that of a slightly younger child. 6
Between Somewhat
& Completely
Child’s functioning generally is considered appropriate for his or her age but there are some concerns about the child’s functioning in this outcome area. 7
Completely
The child shows functioning expected for his or her age in all or almost all everyday situations that are part of the child’s life. Functioning is considered appropriate for his or her age. No one has any concerns about the child’s functioning in this outcome area.

11. Most of the assessment information under ‘functioning that shows immediate foundational skills,’ and just one piece of information under ‘functioning that will lead to immediate foundational skills’ – would document a rating of ‘3.’ A rating of 3 means that the child uses immediate foundational skills across settings and situations most of all of the time. Documentation with the entries reversed – lots of info entered in the first box, and a few pieces of information in the second box – would support a rating of ‘2.’ A rating of 2 means that the child only rarely uses immediate foundational skills.

13. 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

14. Children acquire and use knowledge and skills
Involves
Thinking
Reasoning
Remembering
Problem solving
Using symbols and language
Understanding physical and social worlds
Includes:
Early concepts—symbols, pictures, numbers
Imitation
Object permanence
Expressive language and communication
Early literacy

15. Children take appropriate action to meet their needs
Involves:
Taking care of basic needs (e.g., hunger, warmth, security)
Getting from place to place
Using tools (e.g., fork, toothbrush, crayon)
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

16. Including Families in the Discussion
Family input is critical:
Yes - That they will be able to provide rich information about their child’s functioning across settings and situation
Maybe but not necessarily – That they will know whether their child is showing age appropriate behavior
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

17. Involving Families in a Conversation about Their Child
Avoid jargon
Avoid questions that can be answered with a yes or no
“Does Anthony finger feed himself?”
Ask questions that allow parents to tell you what they have seen
“Tell me about how Anthony eats”
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

18. Open Movie

19. Quality Review of COSF Team Discussion
Does the team describe the child’s functioning, rather than just test scores? Does the discussion include the child’s full range of functioning, including skills and behaviors that are age appropriate, immediate foundational, and leading to immediate foundational?
Early Childhood Outcomes Center

20. What do we need to show? 20
When the data is aggregated, we hope to show that:
as a State………
for each Local Service Area……..
……..Early On supports children to make developmental progress (measured in comparison to same-aged peers). 20

21. Hypothetical Language Acquisition Rates for Three Groups of Children: Change in Developmental Trajectory (Progress toward Closing the Gap)

22. Questions? ?
Early Childhood Outcomes Center