Purpose for COS Data Collection
Quality data collection starts with the state creating a purpose statement. Everyone involved in the COS process—including families—must understand the purpose for data collection, and be able to explain it to others.
See also: Frequently Asked Questions about the COS Process
Effective Purpose Statements
When practitioners understand the purpose and can explain it to others, they are more likely to do their part completing accurate and timely data collection.
Effective purpose statements:
- Clearly articulate the reasons for collecting child outcomes data, including who will use the data, how, and why
- Include reasons for collecting child outcomes data that go beyond federal reporting requirements, and describe how data-informed decision making guides program improvement
- Involve stakeholders in development and review processes
- Are widely shared and easily accessible to local administrators, providers, and the public, including whenever and wherever the COS process is addressed
Resources and Tools for Purpose Statements
- State Child Outcomes Measurement System (S-COMS) and Local Child Outcomes Measurement System (L-COMS) frameworks include elements of quality for purpose statements.
- Child Outcomes Purpose Statements: State Examples includes example purpose statements. Additional example statements are available from State-Developed Materials on the Child Outcomes Summary Process and State-Developed Outcomes Materials.
- Developing an Effective Dissemination Plan supports state planning for dissemination, and is useful for anyone learning about the purpose for child outcomes measurement.
- Community-Centered Dissemination Toolkit and CDC Evaluation Coffee Break Presentation from the Centers for Disease Control include templates for organizing dissemination.
- Developing Vision and Mission Statements provides a general description of what a vision statement is, it's importance, and recommendations for how to create a vision statement. Purpose statements specific to child outcomes data collection usually align with broader vision and mission statements for the program.
- COS-Team Collaboration (COS-TC) Checklist and Descriptions, Section II: Explaining the COS Process to Families includes why and how outcomes data are collected, a description of the practices, and examples of how information can be shared.
- COS Process Online Module, Session 1 describes why outcomes data are collected.
Explaining State Selection of the COS Process
Administrators and practitioners must understand the benefits of using the COS process as a method for outcomes data collection. This understanding improves acceptance of—and active participation in—quality COS data collection.
Why Do We Collect Early Childhood Outcomes Data?
Federal Reporting and Data Use
States and programs convert COS entry and exit ratings into progress categories, which provide aggregate information about changes in developmental trajectories for children in the program. In addition to federal reporting, state and local staff use child outcomes data for program improvement and to answer critical questions.
OSEP Progress Categories as Developmental Trajectories
- Did not improve functioning
- Improved in functioning, no change in trajectory
- Moved closer to functioning like same-aged peers
- Improved functioning to that of same-aged peers
- Functioning like same-aged peers
Summary Statements
From the progress category data, two Summary Statements are calculated for each outcome, which are used by OSEP as an indicator of program effectiveness. ECTA reports national trend data on summary statements in ECTA Center's annual Child Outcomes Highlights.
- Summary Statement 1 is the percentage of children who made greater than expected growth. The summary statement is calculated from the progress categories in the following way: (c + d) ÷ (a + b + c + d)
- Summary Statement 2 is the percentage of children who exited at or above age expectations. The summary statement is calculated from the progress categories in the following way: (d + e) ÷ (a + b + c + d + e)
Resources and Tools for Federal Reporting and Data Use
- Converting COS Data to OSEP Progress Categories/Summary Statements including an interactive guide with a video and calculators for the conversations, including the COS to OSEP Categories Tutor.
- Child Outcomes Data Use provides resources to help state and local programs in making regular use of outcomes data to improve programs.
- Critical Questions About Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education can help programs support the state agency in effectively administering the program, meet accountability requirements for EI and ECSE, and improve results for children and families through an examination of program features.
- IDEA Child Outcomes Highlights are reported annually by ECTA and Dasy, and include national child outcomes data for children exiting Part C and Part B Preschool, as well as national trends over time for Summary Statements 1 and 2 by program and outcome.