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Session Title: Performance Management in Action: A National Measurement System for Early Childhood Outcomes
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Panel Session 449 to be held in Ventura on Thursday, Nov 3, 2:50 PM to 4:20 PM
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Sponsored by the Pre-K - 12 Educational Evaluation TIG
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| Chair(s): |
| Kathleen Hebbeler, SRI International, kathleen.hebbeler@sri.com
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| Abstract:
In response to the federal push for results-based performance indicators, the U.S. Department of Education undertook the development of a national outcomes measurement system for early childhood programs serving children with disabilities. This system, built around state-reported data on child progress for three outcomes, has been well received by key stakeholders. The panel will describe the background for this system, implementation choices and issues faced by state agencies, and how states are planning to use these data to improve programs in addition to submitting them for federal accountability. The panel will share the national findings and lead an audience discussion about their validity and significance. The panel also will discuss lessons about the supports and barriers to building a large scale measurement system such as the need for appropriate assessment approaches for accountability measurement with young children and the importance of procedures for improving data quality.
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Steps in Building the National System: Background and State Choices
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| Lauren Barton, SRI International, lauren.barton@sri.com
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| Donna Spiker, SRI International, donna.spiker@sri.com
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This paper will provide the background to the national outcomes measurement system for programs serving young children with disabilities, including the impetus at the federal level that led to the development of the system, the parameters set by the federal government, the stakeholder process used to inform the requirements, and the measurement choices left to states. The 1993 Government Performance and Reporting Act, the OMB PART review of 2002, and the emphasis in IDEA 2004 on results over process were part of the impetus for national data on child outcomes for early intervention and early childhood special education programs. The federal requirements will be described along with variations in how states are responding to the requirement. Included will be information on the type and frequency of the various methodologies states are using to collect data on child outcomes.
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Highs and Lows on the Road to High Quality Data
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| Lynne Kahn, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, lynne_kahn@unc.edu
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In February 2011, states agencies submitted data on the progress of children in early intervention and early childhood special education programs for the fourth time. This paper will present the findings from the most recent child outcomes data and results from analyses that have been conducted to examine the data quality. The presentation will describe how the data have improved since the first data collection, and some of the challenges still to be addressed towards achieving trustworthy data from all states. Several approaches to analyzing the data to obtain the most accurate national picture will be reviewed, for example, using data from all states versus used weighting the data from only those states considered to have quality data. Session attendees will be encouraged to contribute to the discussion of whether the national data are of sufficient quality to be used for accountability and program improvement.
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Lessons Learned about How to Support Outcomes Measurement
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| Donna Spiker, SRI International, donna.spiker@sri.com
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| Kathleen Hebbeler, SRI International, kathleen.hebbeler@sri.com
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Building a national outcomes measurement system is an incredibly complex undertaking. The U.S. went from having no agreement on outcomes for the programs serving more than one million young children with disabilities to reporting national data in 5 years. The development of the system is far from complete as states continue to address ongoing challenges around data quality, but the amount of progress in such a short time is incredible. This paper will describe the kinds of support that states received, reflect on what has been learned about the key contributing factors to developing measurement systems at both the national and state levels, and highlight the barriers working against effective systems. For example, some states have very strong and savvy leaders who understand the value of outcomes data, but others do not. State resources are also critical. Implications for obtaining high quality national data will be discussed.
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