Monitoring Quality of the COS Process

All involved with the COS Process should examine the quality of the data collection process on a regular basis and use that information to plan improvements to their approach.

Observing Teams Implementing the COS Process

Built around a set of quality practices, the COS-Team Collaboration (COS-TC) checklist provides a mechanism for those who implement, supervise, or train on the COS process to identify, observe, and assess team implementation of the COS process. Supervisors or coaches can use it to record observations about COS teams implementing the COS process and provide feedback. The COS-TC includes a description of each of the quality practices, what it is, and two examples of ways to introduce the different COS discussion points with team members.

Practitioners can use the COS-TC for self-assessment, and trainers can use it as a professional development tool.

COS Rating Fidelity Tool

The Child Outcomes Summary (COS) Rating Fidelity Tool provides state, regional, or local staff a systematic way to review COS forms and evidence about the child's functioning to assess the quality, timeliness, and accuracy of the COS ratings. Reviewers can share feedback with teams and identify their areas of strength and need. This tool is customizable to work with your COS form or documentation even if it is different from the ECTA and DaSy COS Form.

Other Example Activities

States might include these activities when formally monitoring local programs or districts. State staff, local staff, and practitioners should each perform additional activities to monitor the COS process and ensure high quality outcomes data that is useful for program improvement.

Review evidence documented on COS forms to determine if it is consistent with the COS Definitions: 7-Point Rating Scale Criteria.
Examine practitioner practices and COS documentation fidelity to state guidance and professional development.
Conduct implementation surveys to learn about the COS Process in practice and COS team members' experiences, attitudes, and beliefs.
Observe COS teams implementing the COS process to provide feedback.
Analyze and review data for predictable patterns, interpret root causes of unexpected patterns, and develop improvement plans.
Monitor the COS process and outcomes data from local programs or districts as part of local determinations.
Assess the system's strength and weaknesses of the outcomes measurement system.
Examine alignment between information on COS forms and IFSP or IEP content such as individualized outcomes and goals.

Resources and Tools for Monitoring Quality of the COS Process

Data Quality resources are available for:
- Pattern checking to ensure data quality
- Documenting the COS rating
- Reviewing completed COS forms
- COS record review
- Implementation surveys, including state-developed examples and those from the ENHANCE research project
COS Process Online Module, Session 7
Effective Documentation for Outcome Ratings provides a reference for teams documenting the COS rating or those reviewing COS forms.
Child Outcomes Frameworks provide state and local measurement systems you can use to perform a self-assessment about strengths and weaknesses in the system.
Local Contributing Factors Tool provides information about factors to consider when explaining patterns found when analyzing COS data for quality and when discussing formal monitoring results with programs.