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Early Childhood Outcomes:

Early ACCESS and

Early Childhood Special EducationPresented by: Dee Gethmann

Iowa Department of Education

October 2006

Dee.Gethmann@iowa.gov

515-281-5502

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Iowa’s Early Childhood OutcomesPurpose:

Develop and Implement a Statewide Accountability System to Measure Outcomes for Infants and Toddlers in Early ACCESS and Preschoolers in Early Childhood Special Education

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The Essential Question

Are students with disabilities entering school ready to learn at high levels?

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Iowa’s Early Childhood Outcomes:Target Population

Early ACCESS Infants and Toddlers

All infants and toddlers that have an IFSP Include children when transitioning at the age of 3

Early Childhood Special Education Preschoolers

All preschool children that have an IEP Include children when transitioning from ECSE services

to kindergarten Include children receiving ECSE services and

Kindergarten services (Part-Time/Part Time) Do NOT include children that begin receiving special

education services in kindergarten

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Iowa’s Early Childhood Outcomes:Descriptions of ECO Areas

ECO Areas Represent Critical Skills that:Promote positive outcomes for young children Support active and successful participation in everyday activities and routines, now and in the futureIntegrate all areas of developmentPrepare children to enter school ready to learn at high levels (The Essential Question)

Refer to:Alignment of ECO, IFSP Outcome/IEP Goal Codes and Iowa Early Learning Standards, February 2006, Iowa Dept. of Education

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Iowa’s Early Childhood OutcomesHow will data be summarized?

All IFSP and IEP Teams will reach consensus on the results reported on the:Early Childhood Outcomes

Summary FormFebruary 2006 – June 30, 2006:ECO Summary form dated January 2006Beginning July 1, 2006: ECO Summary form dated October 2006

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Iowa’s Early Childhood Outcomes: ECO Summary Form

October 2006

Comparison to peers or standards: To what extent does this child show age-

appropriate functioning in the area of positive social-emotional skills across a variety of settings and situations

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Iowa’s Early Childhood Outcomes:

ECO Summary FormComparison to peers or standards

7-Point Rating ScaleRating is based on: Current level of functioning demonstrated across a

range of situations and settings that make up the child’s day

Typical functioning, not his/her capacity to function under ideal circumstances

Functioning using assistive technology or special accommodations

Skills and behaviors compared to age appropriate expectations based on child development research

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Iowa’s Early Childhood Outcomes:

ECO Summary FormComparison to peers or standards

Rating is NOT based on:A single behavior or skillDiscrete behaviorsDemonstration of skills under ideal

circumstances that not does not reflect everyday situations or settings

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Iowa’s Early Childhood Outcomes: ECO Summary Form

Progress: Has the child shown any new skills or

behaviors related to positive social-emotional skills since the last IEP meeting?

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Iowa’s Early Childhood Outcomes: ECO Summary Form

Child’s Progress is based on any of the following: Acquisition of a new skill or behavior since the last

IFSP or IEP meeting More independently demonstrates mastery of a

skill or behavior Progress made toward achieving IFSP Outcomes

or IEP Goals Improve skills and behaviors to a level nearer to

age-appropriate functioning

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Iowa’s Early Childhood Outcomes: ECO Summary Form

Supporting Evidence for Outcome Rating and Progress in Positive Social-Emotional Skills Information gathered from various procedures and

multiple sources of data RIOT Progress monitoring data IFSP and IEP Results data Age appropriate expectations Other relevant information regarding child’s

functioning across a variety of settings and everyday situations

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Iowa’s Early Childhood Outcomes: ECO Summary Form

Completing the ECO Summary form Complete for each ECO area, despite services

receiving or areas of concern Initial IFSP or IEP meeting for infants, toddlers or

preschool children Annually as a part of the IFSP or IEP meeting, Complete ECO Summary form until the child no

longer receives Early ACCESS or ECSE services MUST complete when child leaves services (i.e. exits

services, transitions at age 3 or into kindergarten)

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Iowa’s Early Childhood Outcomes: Timelines

Beginning February 1, 2006Initial IFSP or IEP Meetings

a. Comparison to Peers or Standard

Beginning July 1, 2006Annual IFSP and IEP Meetings; Exit Meetings, and Re-evaluation IEP Meetings

a. Comparison to Peers or Standardb. Progressc. Supporting Evidence

* SPP – Baseline and Targets will be based on these data!

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Iowa’s Early Childhood Outcomes: Timelines

IFSP and IEP Meetings held between July 1 to November 10, 2006 – Teams have until Friday, December 1 to

complete the new ECO Summary form

Beginning November 10, 2006 – Teams complete the new ECO Summary

form at the time of the IFSP and IEP Meetings

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AEA 10 Administrator Responsibilities

Decide which LEA/AEA staff need to receive this information.

Decide how you will share this information.

Please try to complete trainings before Thanksgiving Break.

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What questions or comments do you have about ECO?

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Not everything that can be measured counts, and not everything that counts can be measured.

--Albert Einstein