Orientation for New Outcomes Conference Participants

Early Childhood Outcomes CenterEarly Childhood Outcomes Center

Orientation for New Orientation for New Outcomes Conference Outcomes Conference

ParticipantsParticipants

Kathy HebbelerLynne Kahn

The Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Center

Early Childhood Outcomes CenterEarly Childhood Outcomes Center 2

What We Will CoverWhat We Will Cover The three child outcomes The 5 progress categories Approaches to child outcomes Family assessment tools Common challenges


Goal of Early InterventionGoal of Early Intervention

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

(from Early Childhood Outcomes Center,http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~eco/pdfs/eco_outcomes_4-13-05.pdf)


Understanding Understanding the the Three Child Three Child OutcomesOutcomes


Three Child OutcomesThree Child Outcomes Children have positive social-emotional skills

(including social relationships)

Children acquire and use knowledge and skills (including early language/communication [and early literacy])

Children use appropriate behaviors to meet their needs


Outcomes Are FunctionalOutcomes Are FunctionalFunctional outcomes: Refer to things that are meaningful to the child

in the context of everyday living Refer to an integrated series of behaviors or

skills that allow the child to achieve the important everyday goals


Functional Outcomes are Functional Outcomes are NOTNOT A single behavior

The sum of a series of discrete behaviors or splinter skills such as…..

*Knows 10 words *Pincer grasp (picks up a raisin)

*Smiles at mom*Goes up and down stairs with one foot on each stair *Stacks 3 blocks


Functional OutcomesFunctional Outcomes Not domains-based, not separating child

development into discrete areas (communication, gross motor, etc.)

Refer to behaviors that integrate skills across domains

Can involve multiple domains

Emphasize how the child is able to carry out meaningful behaviors in a meaningful context


Thinking Functionally Thinking Functionally (within age-expected bounds)(within age-expected bounds)

Isolated skill

Knows how to imitate a gesture when prompted by others

Uses finger in pointing motion

Uses 2-word utterances

Functional skill

Watches what a peer says or does and incorporates it into his/her own play

Points to indicate needs or wants

Engages in back and forth verbal exchanges with caregivers using 2-word utterances


Thinking FunctionallyThinking Functionally If you know that a child can point, do you know

that the child can communicate her wants and needs?

If you know that a child can’t point, do you know that the child can’t communicate his wants and needs?

How does knowing about pointing help you understand how the child takes action to meet needs?


Thinking FunctionallyThinking Functionally Discrete behaviors (e.g., those described by

some items on assessments) may or may not be important to the child’s functioning on the outcome

Individually, they are not especially informative

Summed, they may or may not be useful, depending on the functionality of the behaviors/items


Children Have Positive Children Have Positive Social Relationships 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


Children Acquire and Use Children Acquire and Use Knowledge and Skills Knowledge and 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 Imitation Object permanence Expressive language and communication Early literacy


Children Take Appropriate Action to Children Take Appropriate Action to Meet Their Needs Meet Their Needs Involves:

Taking care of basic needs 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


Taking Action to Meet NeedsTaking Action to Meet Needs Includes

Integrating various skills (gross motor, fine motor, communication skills) to complete tasks

Self help skills (feeding, dressing, toileting, household task)

Acting on the world to get what he or she wants

Not JUST acting on the world: takes APPROPRIATE action to meet needs


Outcomes Reflect Global FunctioningOutcomes Reflect Global Functioning Each outcome is a snapshot of:

The whole child Status of the child’s current functioning Functioning across settings and situations

Rather than: Skill by skill In one standardized way Split by domains


OSEP Reporting CategoriesOSEP Reporting CategoriesPercentage 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


Helping Children Move Toward Age-Helping Children Move Toward Age-expected functioning expected functioning

Assumption: Children can be described with regard to how close they are to age expected functioning for each of the 3 outcomes

By definition, most children in the general population demonstrate the outcome in an age-expected way

By providing services and supports, ECSE is trying to move children closer to age expected behavior


Functioning


Entry

14


Entry Exit

15


Entry Exit

16


Key PointKey Point

The OSEP categories describe types of progress children can make between entry and exit

Two scores or ratings (entry and exit) are needed to calculate what OSEP category describes a child progress


Understanding the reporting Understanding the reporting categories a - ecategories a - e

e. % of children who e. % of children who maintainmaintain functioning at functioning at a level comparable to a level comparable to same-aged peerssame-aged peers


Entry Exit


Entry Exit


d. % of children who improve d. % of children who improve functioning to functioning to reachreach a level a level comparable to same-aged comparable to same-aged peerspeers


Entry Exit


c. % of children who c. % of children who improved functioning to a improved functioning to a level level nearernearer to same aged to same aged peers, but did not reach itpeers, but did not reach it


Entry Exit


Entry Exit


b. % of children who b. % of children who improvedimproved functioning, but functioning, but not sufficient to move not sufficient to move nearer to same aged peersnearer to same aged peers


Entry Exit


Entry Exit


Entry Exit


a. % of children who a. % of children who did not did not improveimprove functioning functioning


Entry Exit


Entry Exit

ApproachApproach Part C Part C (56 states)(56 states)

PreschoolPreschool(59 states)(59 states)

One tool statewideOne tool statewide 8/56 (14%)8/56 (14%) 13/59 (22%)13/59 (22%)

Multiple Multiple Publishers’ online Publishers’ online toolstools

2/56 (4%)2/56 (4%) 3/59 (5%)3/59 (5%)

COSF 7 pt. scaleCOSF 7 pt. scale 40/56 (71%)40/56 (71%) 36/59 (61%)36/59 (61%)

Other Other 6/56 (11%)6/56 (11%) 7/59 (12%) 7/59 (12%)

State Approaches to Measuring Child State Approaches to Measuring Child OutcomesOutcomes


All approaches have challengesAll approaches have challenges

ApproachApproach ChallengesChallenges

One tool One tool statewidestatewide

Defining age expectationsDefining age expectations Determining cutoffs for Determining cutoffs for

enough progress to be enough progress to be considered a change in considered a change in growth trajectorygrowth trajectory




Publishers’ Publishers’ analysis of on-analysis of on-line line assessment assessment toolstools

Aligning assessment Aligning assessment tool items with the 3 tool items with the 3 outcomesoutcomes

Programming the Programming the analysis to be analysis to be comparable to other comparable to other measurement measurement approachesapproaches




Child Outcome Child Outcome Summary Summary FormForm

Getting consistency of Getting consistency of interpretation and useinterpretation and use

Requires Requires understanding of child understanding of child developmentdevelopment

Part C Tools for Family OutcomesPart C Tools for Family Outcomes# (%) of states# (%) of states Assessment ToolAssessment Tool

25 (46%)25 (46%) NCSEAM Family SurveyNCSEAM Family Survey

20 (37%)20 (37%) ECO Family SurveyECO Family Survey

6 (11%)6 (11%) State developed surveysState developed surveys

3 (6%)3 (6%) Added ECO items and/or Added ECO items and/or NCSEAM items to their NCSEAM items to their state surveystate survey


Themes of Agenda SessionsThemes of Agenda Sessions

Quality AssuranceQuality Assurance Quality assessment dataQuality assessment data Reliable use of toolsReliable use of tools Quality of analysis and reportingQuality of analysis and reporting

Training and TA (to address quality)Training and TA (to address quality) CollaborationCollaboration

Part C and 619 PreschoolPart C and 619 Preschool Across Early Care and EducationAcross Early Care and Education



Challenges of particular approachesChallenges of particular approaches Decision rules for “age expectations” Decision rules for “age expectations”

and progress category assignment for and progress category assignment for states using one tool statewidestates using one tool statewide

Consistent interpretation and use of Consistent interpretation and use of the COSFthe COSF

Outcomes from the local and family Outcomes from the local and family perspectivesperspectives



Building outcomes into monitoring Building outcomes into monitoring and accountability systemsand accountability systems

Sampling issues and strategiesSampling issues and strategies Family outcomesFamily outcomes

Using data for improving family Using data for improving family services and supportsservices and supports

Return rates and representative Return rates and representative datadata

Documents

Orientation for New Outcomes Conference Participants