The Maryland Early Childhood Accountability System

1. Program Effectiveness Based on Results for Children The Maryland Early Childhood Accountability System Maryland State Department of Education Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services September 2006

2. 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.

3. Federal Expectations The U.S.Department of Education (USDE), Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) established the following for all States, including Maryland: • States are to collect data on 3 broad child outcomes • Outcomes data should reflect progress over time made by children participating in preschool special education services • Data are intended to be used as a means of informing and guiding local program improvement activities

4. What are the 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.

5. Why Measure Child Outcomes? We need to know how young children with disabilities are benefitting from preschool special education. • Federal Reporting Requirements Accountability to OSEP/USDE Impact on federal funding (Congress) • Program Effectiveness Evidence for State and local policymakers, sponsors See program as good investment See program as important with some challenges that must be addressed • Program Improvement Find meaning in the data to make systemic changes Use data to improve IEP services to individual/groups

6. How Will States Get the Data? • What assessment will be used? • When will data be collected? • Who will provide the data? • How and when will it be reported?

7. Maryland’s Choice of Assessment Approach • The Maryland Model for School Readiness (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”. • MMSR is based on the Work Sampling System (WSS), a performance based assessment. • WSS addresses all three of the OSEP Child Outcomes.

8. Maryland’s Approach continued… • 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).

9. Status At EntryData Collection Process • Work Sampling System: select appropriate checklist based on age of child • Collect examples of child’s work (documented observations or actual samples); collection occurs over 6-8 weeks after initiation of services under initial IEP • At end of collection period, complete ratings for all indicators • K for 5 year olds(66 items;not limited to30 items modified checklist) • P4 for four year olds (55 items; not limited to 29 items modified checklist) • P3 for three year olds (49 items total)

10. What about single service only preschoolers? • Information gathered from several sources may be used to inform ratings for non-IEP related WSS indicators: • For children transitioning from Infants and Toddlers, information from the child’s early intervention record provided to Part B for eligibility determination may be used to help inform ratings • Parent/Care Provider Interviews (example, Ages and Stages) • Observations and progress notes from SLP, OT, and/or PT collected over 6-8 weeks of initiation of services

11. Outcome Data Collected When the Child Enters and When the Child ExitsExample Child enters Part B Preschool *Transition at age 3 *Child Find Entrance data is collected using the WSS Child exits Part B Preschool *at 60 months *IEP goals met and returned to general education Exit data is collected using the WSS Progress At Exit Data Status At Entry Data

12. Progress At Exit

13. Progress At Exit Important Points to Remember: • 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.

14. When will local school systems collect Progress At Exit Data? • Prior to a child’s exit from Preschool Special Education services, the LSS will complete an assessment of the child’s current levels of performance using the WSS. • At end of 5-year-old year, or sooner if the child is exiting 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 LSS from which the child is exiting is responsible for conducting the exit assessment.

15. 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 definition, most children in the general population demonstrate the outcome in an age-expected way. • By providing services and supports, special education is trying to move children closer to age expected behavior. • Some children will never achieve this. Source: Early Childhood Outcomes Center

16. Key Points • Documenting children’s movement toward typical development is one type of evidence that preschool special education is effective. • Documenting the extent of children’s progress is another. Source: Early Childhood Outcomes Center

17. Ultimate Goal:Positive Results for Preschoolers and Kindergarteners with Disabilities