The Maryland Early Childhood Accountability System

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The Maryland Early Childhood Accountability
System

• Program Effectiveness Based on Results for
  Children

Maryland State Department of Education Division
of Special Education/Early Intervention
Services September 2007
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Were Embarking on an Outcome Journey
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At times the road may become a bit congested!
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When that happens

• We will slow down and make sure were all on
  board.

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• The Players
• United States Department of Education, Office of
  Special Education Programs (OSEP)
• Early Childhood Outcomes Center (ECO)
• Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE)
• Twenty-four Local School Systems/Preschool
  Special Education

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The Law

• The Individuals with Disabilities Act 2004 (IDEA
  2004) requires that states report on the progress
  of preschool children with disabilities receiving
  special education and related services.

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What are the OSEP Child Outcomes?

• Outcome 1
• Children have positive social relationships.
• Outcome 2
• Children acquire and use knowledge and skills
  (including language/communication).
• Outcome 3
• Children take appropriate action to meet
  their needs.

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Why Measure Child Outcomes?

• Federal Reporting Requirements
• Program Effectiveness
• Program Improvement

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Why these Outcomes?

• Outcomes are stated in functional terms
• Functional refers to
• Skills, behaviors, experiences that are
  meaningful to the child in the context of
  everyday living
• A series of behaviors or skills, integrated
  across domains, that allows the child to achieve
  the outcomes

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Functional Outcomes are not

• A single behavior
• The sum of a series of discrete behaviors
• Domains based - not trying to separate child
  development into discrete areas (e.g.,
  communication, gross motor, self-help)

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Thinking Functionally!

• Not just
• - Know how to imitate a gesture when prompted
• by others
• - Use 3 to 4 word phrases
• - Show a skill in a specific situation

• But does she
• - Watch what a peer says or does and
  incorporate it into her own play
• - Use words to make her needs or wants known
• - Use a skill in actions across settings and
  situations to accomplish something meaningful

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Outcome 1 Children have positive social
relationships

• Involves behaviors such as
• Relating with adults
• Relating with other children
• For older children - following rules related to
  groups or interacting with others

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Outcome 2 Children acquire and use knowledge
and skills

• Involves behaviors such as
• Thinking
• Reasoning
• Remembering
• Problem solving
• Using symbols and language
• Demonstrating understanding of physical and
  social worlds

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Outcome 3 Children take appropriate action to
meet their needs

• Involves behaviors such as
• Taking care of basic needs
• Getting from place to place
• Using tools
• For older children, contributing to their own
  health and safety

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So how will this be accomplished?

• What assessment will be used?
• When will data be collected?
• Who will provide the data?
• How and when will it be reported?
• How does this pertain to Child Care Providers?

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Marylands Assessment Approach The Work Sampling
System

• The Work Sampling System (WSS), a performance
  based assessment, is used in the context of the
  Maryland Model for School Readiness (MMSR).
• The MMSR is a framework to assist early
  educators in instructing and assessing young
  children in the knowledge, skills and behaviors
  they need to be prepared for the learning demands
  of formal schooling.
• WSS addresses all three of the OSEP Child
  Outcomes.

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Why Choose the Maryland Model for School
Readiness?

• The intent of MMSR is the use of developmentally
  appropriate practices with all children
• MMSR promotes a common language among early
  childhood general and special educators by
  enabling a view of children through a shared
  lens.
• MMSR is a developmental frame of reference for
  aligning IEP goals with the State Learning
  Standards/Voluntary State Curriculum (VSC).

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So Where, When, Who, How, and What About?
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Early Childhood Programs

• Early Childhood Program - A program that includes
  at least 50 nondisabled children includes but
  is not limited to
• Head Start
• Kindergarten
• Reverse mainstream classrooms
• Private preschools
• Preschool classes offered to an eligible pre-k
  population by the public school system
• Group child care
• Family child care

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How Work Sampling Relates to Child Care

• You may be wondering to yourself how the Work
  Sampling System and measuring the early childhood
  special education outcomes involves child care
  programs.
• Preschool aged children with disabilities are
  found in a variety of settings including Family
  Child Care programs and Child Care Centers.
• Because Work Sampling is an observational
  assessment tool, child care providers can make
  valuable contributions by providing information
  where appropriate.

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Clarification for Child Care Providers

• Child Care Providers would not be asked to report
  on any of the childs special education program
  goals, but rather to provide information and
  observations on the Work Sampling Assessment Tool
  as they relate to the childs participation in
  the child care setting.
• Parents will participate and provide this same
  type of information as well.

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Status At Entry Data Collection Process

• Work Sampling System select appropriate
  checklist based on age of child
• It is recommended that Status at Entry data be
  collected within an approximate time of 6-8 weeks
  following the initiation of special education
  services
• Collect examples of childs work either
  documented observations or actual samples
• The measure is whether a childs performance is
  comparable to typical same-age peers or below

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Child Care Providers Participation with Status
at Entry

• Status at Entry data collection for 3 and 4 year
  olds newly identified as having a disability and
  determined eligible to receive special education
  who are included in typical early childhood
  programs such as Family and Center Child Care
  Programs could make a valuable contribution
  through providing observational information
  regarding the three measurable childhood outcomes
  and participating in the work sampling system.
• A parent or a local school system special
  education teacher may contact you to request
  information.

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Progress At Exit

• Only children who had entrance data collected
  will have exit data collected.
• Exit data is only collected on children who
  received at least 6 months of intervention.
• Comparing Status at Entry with Progress at Exit
  measures the three early childhood outcomes!

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When Will Local School Systems CollectProgress
at Exit Data?

• Prior to a childs exit from Preschool-Kindergarte
  n special education services, the LSS will
  complete an assessment of the childs current
  levels of performance using the WSS.
• At end of 5-year-old year, or sooner if the child
  is leaving the program for other reasons (moving
  out of state, no longer eligible), the exit
  assessment should be completed as soon as
  possible prior to exit.
• If a child begins to receive services in one
  jurisdiction and transfers to another
  jurisdiction in Maryland, the LEA from which the
  child is exiting is responsible for conducting
  the exit assessment.

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Progress at Exit Measures

• Maintained a level comparable to typical same-age
  peers
• Closed the gap with typical same-age peers
• Narrowed the gap with typical same-age peers
• Made progress, but at the same rate as when they
  entered preschool services, or
• Did not make progress

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Child Care Providers Participation with Progress
at Exit

• When a child exits preschool special education
  services earlier than their Kindergarten year by
  successfully completing their goals,
• And they are included in a regular early
  childhood setting such as Family or Center Based
  Child Care,
• A parent or local school system special education
  teacher may contact you to request information.

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Key Points

• Assumption Children can be described with
  regard to how close they are to age expected
  behavior for each of the 3 outcomes.
• By providing services and supports, special
  education is trying to move children closer to
  age expected behavior.
• As Child Care Providers and teachers of young
  children, you have valuable information to
  contribute and can be part of the solution that
  makes this process successful!

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Ultimate GoalPositive Results for Preschoolers
and Kindergarteners with Disabilities
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Questions?
Status at Entry and Progress at Exit
Status at Entry
Same Aged Peers
of students who have closed the gap

of students closing the gap
of students at the same level

Progress at Exit
of students below where they began

• Have entry data
• Been in a special education program for 6 months
  or more
• Students are exiting the program (children
  turning 6 years old)

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The Maryland Early Childhood Accountability
System

• Program Effectiveness Based on Results for
  Children

Maryland State Department of Education Division
of Special Education/Early Intervention
Services September 2007