Building a national system to measure child and family outcomes from early intervention Early Childhood Outcomes Center International Society on Early.

Building a national system to measure child and family

outcomes from early intervention

Early Childhood Outcomes Center

International Society on Early InterventionNew York City, May 2011

ECO Presenters and Affiliations

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 2

SRI InternationalLauren Barton

Kathleen HebbelerSangeeta MallikDonna Spiker

Frank Porter Graham Child Development

InstituteLynne Kahn

RTI InternationalDonald BaileyMelissa Raspa

Identifying a National Set of Child and Family Outcomes

Kathleen HebbelerLynne Kahn

Donna Spiker Sangeeta Mallik

Lauren Barton

International Society on Early InterventionNew York City, May 2011


Why does the U.S. government want data on child outcomes?

• Government Performance and Results Act

(GPRA)

• Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART)

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Requires goals and indicators be established for

IDEA

Indicators and data collection for school age

population included data on outcomes

Previously, for early childhood data had been

collected on: • Number of children served (Early intervention, 0-3)• Settings (both EI and Early Childhood Special Education,

3-5)

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) passed in 1993


130 programs examined in 2002; 50% programs had

no performance data

Programs looking at inputs, not results

Included Part C (0 to 3) and Part B Preschool (3 to 5)

OSEP: PART evaluation results (2002)

Both Part C and Part B Preschool categorized as “Results Not Demonstrated” due to lack of outcome data. OMB* recommended OSEP** develop a strategy for collecting outcome data

*Office of Management and Budget**Office of Special Education Programs


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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;

Also Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) emphasizes results

The Development of the Outcome Statements

8Early Childhood Outcomes Center

2004-early 2005 ECO gathered input on child and family outcomes

Summer 2005 OSEP announced the child and family outcomes States must report on through their State Performance Plans/Annual Performance Reports (SPP/APR)

Process of Gathering Input

• Series of stakeholder meetings over 15 months– What criteria should the outcomes embody?– What are the outcomes for which these programs

should be held accountable?

• State administrators, researchers, families of children with disabilities, professional organizations, advocates weighed in


Some of the considerations and criteria that emerged

• Apply to the entire birth through 5 age span

• Apply to all children with disabilities• Be compatible with best practice (esp.

transdisciplinary service models, functional behaviors)

• Have potential to influence practice in a positive way

• Be readily understood10Early Childhood Outcomes Center

Final Steps

• ECO posted the draft child and family outcomes on our web site for public comment

• Based on input received, in February 2005 ECO made recommendations to OSEP on what the outcomes should be.


Overarching goal of EI/ECSE for children

“…is 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, preschool or school programs, and in the community.”

ECO Center, Family and Child Outcomes for Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education

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Three Child 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


Reporting on Child Progress


December 2005 States submit plans via SPP on how they will collect outcome data

September 2006 OSEP finalizes the child outcome reporting categories

February 2007 “Status at entry” data

February 2008 1. Child progress data for children who exited 7/1/06 through 6/30/07

What States Report:OSEP Reporting Categories

Percentage of children who:

a. Did not improve functioningb. 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 16

0 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 660

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Developmental Trajectories

Functioning like same aged peersImproved functioning to that of same aged peersMoved closer to function-ing like same aged peersImproved functioning, no change in trajectoryDid not improve function-ing

Age in Months

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in

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me



2008 and 2009

State input into Summary Statements that will become the basis for target setting

February 2009 2. Child progress data for children who exited 7/1/07 through 6/30/08

February 2010 3. Child progress data for children who exited 7/1/08 through 6/30/09. States set targets for Summary Statements.

The Summary Statements

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 turned 3 [6] years of age or exited the

program.

2. The percent of children who were functioning within

age expectations in each outcome by the time they

turned 3 [6] years of age or exited the program.




February 2011 4. Child progress data for children who exited 7/1/09 through 6/30/10. States report on targets.

2011 Summary statement data released for local programs.

Summary: National Picture

• Part C (0-3) and Part B Preschool (3-5) have gone from having no data in 2003 to 4 years worth of data by 2011.

• There are still issues with the data but it continues to improve because of state diligence.

• No other national early childhood program has this kind of information.

• No other program in the U.S. Department of Education has this kind of information.


Building a national system to measure child and family outcomes from early intervention Early Childhood Outcomes Center International Society on Early.

Documents

child outcomes

early childhood data

functional outcomes

family outcomes summer

family outcomes states

performance data programs

government performance

data collection