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Lessons Learned in Evaluating Evidence-based Practices in Kansas
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| Presenter(s):
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| Karin Chang-Rios, University of Kansas, kcr@ku.edu
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| Annie McKay, University of Kansas, amckay@ku.edu
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| Abstract:
The identification and implementation of evidence-based practices (EBP) have become priority issues for funders and stakeholders. Evaluators are increasingly being asked to assess the quality and strength of evidence of effectiveness as part of their work with programs. This paper examines the development and use of an evidence-based practice rating system in Kansas. For the past five years, this rating system has been used to assess programs funded through the Children's Initiative Fund. The Children's Cabinet and Trust Fund uses the EBP ratings, in conjunction with service delivery and outcome data, to inform their accountability process and guide decision-making regarding future funding. The process by which the rating system was developed, its functionality within the context of the Children's Cabinet's accountability framework and challenges associated with its use in evaluating programs at the state and local level will be discussed in the paper.
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Narrowing the Gap: Examining Changes in the Social And Economic Gaps Among a Random Sample of Participants in Programs Funded to Provide Direct Services to Families
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| Presenter(s):
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| Erika Takada, Harder+Company Community Research, etakada@harderco.com
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| Raul Martinez, Harder+Company Community Research, rmartinez@harderco.com
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| David Dobrowski, First 5 Monterey County, david@first5monterey.org
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| Abstract:
First 5 Monterey County implemented a longitudinal parent interview evaluation study that allowed evaluators to look at how the relationship between social and economic family characteristics and program and child outcomes changed over one year. The study involved the administration of a parent interview with 172 randomly selected newly enrolled families. Baseline data was collected in 2008-09 and again from the same parents one year later.
There were three main findings: 1) intensive interventions were accessed at a significantly (p<.01) higher rate than at baseline by Latino families with less than a high school education, families whose primary language is Spanish, and families who have household annual incomes of less than $30,000, 2) families with those same characteristics were reading and engaging with their children significantly more (p<.001), 3) the social and economic disparities gap seen at baseline across program indicators appeared to narrow after one year.
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Measuring Quality in Child Care Settings: Parent and Provider Perspectives
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| Presenter(s):
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| Michel Lahti, University of Southern Maine, mlahti@usm.maine.edu
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| Allyson Dean, University of Southern Maine, adean@usm.maine.edu
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| Sarah Rawlings, University of Southern Maine, srawlings@usm.maine.edu
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| Abstract:
More than half the states in the United States are implementing or piloting a Quality Rating and Improvement System for their child care programming. The federal Office of Child Care has recently released proposed Benchmarks that intend to promote the establishment by all states of a set of components of Quality Improvement initiatives. Since early 2008, the state of Maine, Division of Early Care and Education, DHHS, has implemented Quality for ME, which identifies a set of standards for various program types. This paper will present findings on how parents and providers perceive the quality of the child care setting, and if there are differences in perceptions of quality dependent upon a quality Step rating assigned to the program. This is a multi-year, state wide evaluation of this program. The authors implemented a random assignment design which includes observations of at least 320 child care programs. The paper presentation will describe the study design, the most current literature on measuring family engagement and parental perceptions of quality, and describe how early care and education staff view the quality of the programs.
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