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ECO Resources: Q & A
This page summarizes many questions frequently asked about the child and family outcomes measurement process and provides brief answers. For more detailed information or to share other questions and comments, contact us at staff@the-eco-center.org.
Click here for printable versions of the ECO Q & A [378KB PDF]
OUTCOMES AND FEDERAL REPORTING
- Q. What are child and family outcomes?
- Q. Why are states measuring outcomes for programs serving young children with disabilities?
- Q. What are the child outcomes that states need to report to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)?
- Q. What do the child outcome statements mean?
- Q. Where did these outcome statements come from?
CHILD OUTCOMES
- Q. What is a functional outcome?
- Q. How are the functional outcomes different from domains?
- Q. Doesn't all functioning require the acquisition and the use of knowledge and skills (Outcome 2)?
- Q. What information is being reported to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) about the three child outcome statements?
- Q. When are states required to begin reporting data on the outcome statements?
- Q. Are states required to report on a child's progress for any outcome in which the child does not have a delay?
- Q. Why is the progress of children with special needs being compared to expectations for same age peers?
- Q. How is the progress of children with severe disabilities reflected in federal reporting?
- Q. Some disabilities become progressively more debilitating over time and some children may regress rather than make progress. Won't this negatively impact the results that states report and make programs appear as though they aren't effective?
- Q. Cant we judge the effectiveness of Part C and Part B Preschool programs by looking at the number of children who reached their Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals by the time they exited the program?
- Q. How are the Summary Statements computed?
- Q. How do states measure child outcomes?
FAMILY OUTCOMES
- Q. Is the federal government requiring that states submit data on family outcomes?
- Q. What are the family data that states are required to report to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)?
- Q. How do states gather information about the impact of services on families?
- Q. What additional family outcome data does the Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Center recommend that states measure?
CHILD OUTCOMES SUMMARY (COS) PROCESS
- Q. What is the Child Outcome Summary (COS) Process?
- Q. Is the COS an assessment tool?
- Q. Where can I find information on developmental expectations for children of different ages?
- Q. Can a state adapt the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) Form?
- Q. Has the Child Outcome Summary (COS) form been translated into other languages?
- Q. Are states required to use the COS process?
- Q. What does a team need to know to complete the Child Outcome Summary (COS) form?
- Q. Is the Child Outcome Summary (COS) the same thing as the Child Outomes Summary Form (COSF)?
- Q. What sources of information can be used to determine a child's level of functioning on each of the three outcomes?
- Q. Are the Child Outcome Summary (COS) ratings objective?
- Q. Do teams need training to determine Child Outcome Summary (COS) ratings?
- Q. What do you do if everyone has a different view of the child's functioning?
- Q. Is a family member supposed to be part of deciding the Child Outcome Summary (COS) rating?
- Q. How can a child who is eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) be rated as having age-appropriate functioning with a rating of 6 or 7 at entry?
- Q. If the Child Outcome Summary (COS) rating stays the same from one time to the next or even goes down, can the team still say that progress has been made (that is, answer yes to the progress question)?
CROSSWALKS
FAMILY OUTCOMES SURVEY
- Q. What is the Family Outcomes Survey-Revised (FOS-R)?
- Q. Can a state or program adapt the Family Outcomes Survey to fit its needs?
- Q. Has the Family Outcomes Survey been translated to other languages?