Presented the National Summit on Quality in Home Visiting ProgramsWashington, DCFebruary, 2012

Data on Child and Family Outcomes:

Tools for Improving State Systems

Kathy HebbelerSRI International

Early Childhood Outcomes Center 2

Imagine….

• Children in your large programs are making 20% less progress than children in your small programs.

• Families who received 80% of their home visits are more engaged with their children than families who received 50%.

• Children of families who can access community resources show more progress than other children.

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Would you do anything differently?

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The Power of Outcomes

• Outcomes are what programs are hoping to achieve for children and families.

• Data on outcomes… – Document successes– Shine light on where work needs to be

done

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Examples of Child Outcomes

For programs serving young children with delays and disabilities:

1. Children have positive social relationships

2. Children acquire and use knowledge and skills

3. Children take action to meet their needs.

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Another example…

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• Literacy Knowledge and Skills• Language Development• Logic and Reasoning• Mathematics Knowledge and Skills• Science Knowledge and Skills• Social Studies Knowledge and

Skills• Physical Development and Skills• Social Emotional Development• Creative Arts Expression• Approaches to Learning• English Language Development

Examples of Family Outcomes

• Families understand their child's strengths, abilities, and special needs.

• Families know their rights and advocate effectively for their child.

• Families help their child develop and learn.• Families have support systems.• Families access desired services, programs,

and activities in their community.

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V & R Data on Child

Outcomes

V & R Data on Family

Outcomes, Experiences,

Demographics

V & R Data on Program and

Service Features

+ + =

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A lot of insight into what is going on in the program

statewide

Early Care and Education System

• Home visiting is part of the state’s early care and education system

• Much energy being devoted to building state data system for EC and E systems

• Including linking EC data to K-12 data

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Early Childhood Data Collaborative

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Are children, birth to age 5, on track tosucceed when they enter school and beyond?

■ Which children have access to high-quality early care and education programs?

■ Is the quality of programs improving?■ What are the characteristics of

effective programs?■ How prepared is the early care and

education workforce to provide effective education and care for all children?

■ What policies and investments lead to a skilled and stable early care and education workforce?

http://www.ecedata.org/files/DQC%20ECDC%20WhitePaper-Nov8.pdf

ECDC’s 10 Fundamentals

1. Unique statewide child identifier*

2. Child-level demographic and program participation information*

3. Child-level data on child development4. Ability to link child-level data with K–12 and other key data

systems

5. Unique program site identifier with the ability to link with children and the ECE workforce*

6. Program site data on structure, quality and work environment*

7. Unique ECE workforce identifier with ability to link with program sites and children*

8. Individual ECE workforce demographics, including education, and professional development information*

9. State governance body to manage data collection and use

10. Transparent privacy protection and security practices and policies

13Early Childhood Outcomes Center*RTT-ELC Essential Data Element

Building a state measurement system

• Long term commitment• Requires resources (esp. for professional

development)– To build – To maintain

• Requires vigilance to ensure data quality• Is essential for program improvement

and accountability14Early Childhood Outcomes Center

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Purpose

Data Collection and Transmission

Analysis

Reporting

Using Data

Evaluation

Cross-System Coordination

Components Quality Indicators

Purpose

1. State has articulated purpose(s) of COMS.

Data Collection and Transmission

2. Data collection procedures are carried out efficiently and effectively.

3. Providers, supervisors, and others involved in data collection have the required knowledge, skills, and commitment.

4. State's method for entering, transmitting, and storing data is effective and efficient.

Analysis

5. State identifies accountability and program improvement questions related to child outcomes.

6. Local programs identify accountability and program improvement questions related to child outcomes.

7. State agency analyzes data in a timely manner.

8. Local programs analyze data in a timely manner.

9. State agency ensures completeness and accuracy of data.

Reporting

10. State agency interprets, reports, and communicates information related to child outcomes.

11. Local programs interpret, report, and communicate information related to child outcomes.

Using Data

12. State agency makes regular use of information on child outcomes to improve programs.

13. Local programs makes regular use of information on child outcomes to improve programs.

Evaluation14. State evaluates its COMS regularly.

Cross-system Coordination

15. Part C and 619 coordinate child outcomes measurement.

16. Child outcomes measurement is integrated across early childhood (EC) programs statewide.

17. Child outcomes measurement is aligned with state’s early learning guidelines/standards.

18. State has a longitudinal data system to link child outcomes data from EC program participation to K–12 data.

Elements

a. State has…b. State has…c. State agency..d. Representative..e. State agency…f. State ……g. State provides…h. State has..

www.the-eco-center.org

Some not so good alternatives

• Don’t collect any outcomes data• Collect data at the program level and keep

it there• Collect data but don’t invest in the capacity

of programs to use the data • Collect data at the state level but don’t act

on it

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Early Childhood Outcomes Center 18

Imagine….…a state where all children and families in

home visiting programs have good outcomes

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Without data, you

don’t know where

you are.