The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is updating a Guidance Memorandum originally issued as LS-07-042 on 9/14/2006 in an effort to assist Part B preschool special education programs in the collection and reporting of federally- mandated early childhood outcomes.

Indicator 7 in the Special Education State Performance Plan requires DESE to collect and report early childhood special education outcomes data at a child’s entry into the program and at the child’s exit. Early Childhood Outcomes Data is reported in the areas of positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships), acquisition and use of knowledge and skills, and use of appropriate behaviors by the child to meet his or her needs. Early Childhood Special Education programs should note the following when generating data for Indicator 7:

1. All Part B Early Childhood programs will use the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) process to develop and assign child-specific outcomes ratings. The COS is embedded in the Early Childhood Individual Education Program (IEP) form.

2. Part B Early Childhood programs will use the DaSY training modules to build understanding of the COS process, including the formation of an appropriate team and the utilization of appropriate assessments and other data.

3. The entry COS ratings must be developed and assigned within thirty (30) days of entry into the program. The exit COS ratings must be developed and assigned within thirty (30) days of exit from the program. For preschool children entering a Part B program, DESE recommends that data derived from full and individual initial evaluations be used whenever possible as part of the child-specific entry ratings process.

4. For federal reporting purposes, COS consensus ratings must be developed and submitted by Part B Early Childhood programs for any preschool student who enters or exits. In addition, as provided for in the State Performance Plan, DESE will collect and evaluate outcomes data from all Part B Early Childhood programs on at least an annual basis.

5. COS consensus ratings scores for each child and each outcome indicator must be documents in the IEP and reported through eSchool.

6. When a Part C agency has used the COS to assign an exit rating to a child, the Part B Early Childhood program may use this data as part of the entry rating decision process.

7.  Parents must be included in the determination of Outcomes scores.