florida doe/florida doh-cms florida’s efforts to link part c and 619 outcomes measurement april...

Florida DOE/Florida DOH-CMS

Florida’s Efforts to Link Florida’s Efforts to Link Part C and 619 Part C and 619

Outcomes Outcomes MeasurementMeasurement

Florida’s Efforts to Link Florida’s Efforts to Link Part C and 619 Part C and 619

Outcomes Outcomes MeasurementMeasurement

April 25, 2006 April 25, 2006


A little bit about us -• Early Steps

– Reported over 12,000 infants/toddlers in the 04-05 count

– Broad state definition for eligibility – but does not include at risk

– 16 local Early Steps areas– Culturally and linguistically diverse

population – large urban areas as well as rural areas


A little bit about us - Part B Preschool - • Reported over 35,000, three through

five-year-olds in 2004 • Of those children, 22,000+ are in

preschool• 67 school districts• Large, culturally and linguistically

diverse state


Some History• Early Steps received GSEG grant in 2004

• Last April, attended ECO Outcome meeting together

• Had an “epiphany” – did not seem to make sense to take building a measure system on as two independent entities


Early Steps – Activities to Date

• Convened stakeholders’ group to advise process

• Developed Guiding Principles• Developed recommendations for

system design• Considered “meaning” of the 3 OSEP

outcomes through examination of instrumentation


Early Steps – Activities to Date

• Assessed current practices related to use of instrumentation for evaluation/assessment

• Recommended instrument for phase in – based on existing requirements for evaluation process

• Communicated with stakeholders throughout process


Part B Preschool – Activities to Date

• Convened stakeholders’ group to advise process

• Developed guiding principles (used Early Steps principles as foundation)

• Assessed current practice related to instrumentation used for evaluation

• Concurred with instrument recommendation made by Early Steps for the purpose of first phase pilot


Jointly we’ve -• Shared and modified the guiding principles

between the separate stakeholders’ groups and now have a common document

• Will jointly convene the groups for any future meeting

• Decided on key elements and since Fall 05 have had joint planning/management team


Other Considerations• Lessons we’ve learned from K-12

accountability systems– Accountability systems must use reliable

and valid data– Accountability systems must measure child

progress in a consistent manner– Accountability systems must apply rules

and decisions consistently across programs/schools


Elements of Our Plan• Phasing in with select “Early Adopters”

who represent population of children served in the state.

• “Early Adopters” are “paired” – a school district and corresponding Early Steps

• For this year’s status data, we are “mining” existing data of a subset of adopters who are experienced with the instrument recommended


Elements of Our Plan• Using existing evaluation

processes as primary vehicle for collecting data

• Only collecting entry/exit data• Negotiation over “shared data

point” critical (Early Steps exit/Part B preschool entrance)


Elements of Our Plan• Have left decision on how this

“shared data point” will happen to the local level

• Attempting to depict four common scenarios (“flow charts”) to further define “what children” and “when” data is collected”


Elements of Our Plan• Will report data to same data

collection system• Each Department is “taking on”

different aspects of what will be needed to get our “Early Adopters” off the ground


What’s ahead• Assistance with capacity building,

data analysis, consideration of research questions that emerge

• Building “process documents” that articulate procedures developed and “tested out”


What’s ahead• Determining how data collected

will convert to OSEP reporting categories

• Responding to myriad of policy/implementation issues

• Future reporting to multiple audiences


Positive Consequences – (we hope -)

• Strengthened collaboration between school districts and Early Steps programs

• Improved, and more timely, transition planning

• Expanded joint evaluation teams – (already emerging in a few places)


More information ?• Sally Golden-McCord

– [email protected]

• Cathy Bishop– [email protected]

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