Early Childhood Assessment and Accountability: Creating a Meaningful System

1. Early Childhood Assessment and Accountability: Creating a Meaningful System

2. To positively influence the lives of children and families by using child, family, and system outcomes data to inform early childhood practices and policy. The Purpose of Results Matter

3. Colorado Landscape • Strong interagency collaboration • Blended programs, braided funding • A commitment to unified initiatives for children with and without disabilities

4. Colorado Landscape • A positive history with use of authentic assessment systems in preschool and child care programs • Program quality standards that include the use of ongoing assessment to monitor progress and plan instruction

5. Converging Needs…Emerging Trends • Need for data to support local and state systems building work • Emphasis on data driven decision making • Accountability movement emerges • RTI implemented with older students • OSEP outcomes mandate • Desire to expand the use of authentic assessment

6. Beliefs Driving Results Matter • Ongoing observation and documentation is an essential best practice • Authentic assessment is the best choice for assessing young children • The results of child assessment should be useful for multiple purposes at multiple levels of the system • Early childhood accountability systems must use multiple sources of data including longitudinal child outcomes data and program quality data

7. Key Characteristices • Comprehensive • Meets multiple needs and purposes • For all children and programs in the system • Engages families in the documentation and assessment process • Uses authentic assessment • Driven by technology • Strong professional development system

8. National Partners in Results Matter Since 2005, Results Matter has been working to develop a national model of early childhood accountability with financial and technical support from the: • Early Childhood Outcomes Center • US Department of Education • National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center

9. 40,000 children, birth to five 800 care and education sites Public Schools Early Intervention Early Head Start/Head Start Child Care Campus Child Care Teen Parent Programs Scope of Involvement in Results Matter

10. IDEA Part C Early Intervention Colorado Colorado Department of Human Services/ Division for Developmental Disabilities IDEA Part B/619 Colorado Department of Education Part B & Part C in Colorado

11. Comprehensive System • Child Progress Monitoring • Child Outcomes – Short Term and Longitudinal • Family Outcomes • Program Quality Measures • Professional Development

12. Multiple Purposes • Progress monitoring • Child and group centered planning • Accountability – outcomes reporting • Policy planning and advocacy

13. Global Child Outcomes • Children have positive social relationships. • Children acquire and use knowledge and skills. • Children take appropriate action to meet their needs.

14. Authentic Assessment Systems • Ounce/Work Sampling System • Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum • High/Scope Child Observation Record • Assessment and Evaluation Programming System (AEPS) – Part C Early Intervention only

15. Online Access to Assessments • Linkages to curriculum and planning resources • Variety of reports immediately accessible at teacher, administrator, program and state level • Digital portfolio capabilities • Parent access

16. How is assessment data used? • describe child progress • inform and influence day-to-day interactions and interventions provided by the adults in a child’s life • make data driven program and policy decisions • demonstrate the efficacy of programs and services available to Colorado’s children and families

17. Extensive Work with Publishers Results Matter staff members continue to work extensively with assessment authors, researchers and publishers to • refine assessment products • develop a process to convert assessment results to global outcomes • create professional development opportunities • increase functionality of online systems

18. Longitudinal Data Linking early childhood outcomes data to K-16 data: • % of students on Individual Literacy Plans in Kindergarten, First and Second Grades • Special education entrance and exit data • Retention rates • % of children scoring proficient or above on the Colorado K-12 Student Assessment Program • Continued engagement with the education system (graduation, completion of 2 or 4 year degree program)

19. Family Outcomes • Families understand their children’s strengths, abilities and special needs. • Families know their rights and advocate effectively for their children. • Families help their children develop and learn. • Families have support systems. • Families are able to gain access to desired services, programs, and activities in their community.

20. Program Quality Data • Environmental Rating Scale Scores • Accreditation Data • Qualistar Ratings • Parent Satisfaction Survey (in development)

21. Professional Development • Training for Teachers and Trainers on the Assessment Systems • Technology Training • Inservice Training on Assessment and Planning Skills • Administrator Training on Data and Program Improvement • Ongoing Technical Assistance

22. Central Outcomes of Results Matter • The use of ongoing observation driven assessment becomes standard practice in participant programs • Decisions regarding instruction and intervention as well as program policy are informed by data • Accountability reporting requirements are met through embedded everyday practices

23. Benefits Reported by Participants • Increased depth of understanding of child development • Improved communication with families • Increased sense of professionalism • Increased sense of working toward common goals

24. A Work in Progress Colorado is one of the states leading the nation in early childhood outcomes and accountability work. We now collaborate with other states who have adopted similar models including Nebraska, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Kentucky.

25. Not everything that can be measured counts, and not everything that counts can be measured. --Albert Einstein

26. Questions & Contact Information Nan Vendengna Results Matter Coordinator Colorado Department of Education (303)866-6602 Vendegna_N@cde.state.co.us Colleen Head Part C Community Coordinator Early Intervention Colorado – CDHS/DDD (303)866-7262 Colleen.Head@state.co.us