Early Childhood Outcomes are at the Foundation of Evaluation & Assessment

Programs and services are available across the country for young children with developmental delays and disabilities and their families under IDEA.  These early intervention and preschool special education programs and services can help children to be active and successful participants in their homes, schools, and communities by supporting their development.  In Maryland, this includes children ages birth to three receiving early intervention, children ages three and four on the extended IFSP option, and children ages three through five receiving preschool special education services. 

We know that if children make developmental progress in three general areas, referred to by the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) as “child outcomes,” they will be ready to take the next step in all of their environments.  Therefore, for birth though five year olds these three early childhood outcomes should be considered program outcomes.  They are comprehensive and functional, and should be embedded in the planning and intervention processes for individual children.  These outcomes should be a part of everything we do for children with disabilities in our programs.

Outcome 1 states that children will have positive social relationships.  This involves:

• Relating with adults
• Relating with other children
• For older children – following group rules

It includes areas like:

• Attachment/separation/autonomy
• Expressing emotions and feelings
• Learning rules and expectations

Outcome 2 states that children will acquire and use knowledge and skills.  This involves:

• Thinking, reasoning, remembering
• Problem-solving
• Using symbols and language
• Understanding physical and social worlds

It includes areas like: 

• Early concepts – symbols, pictures, numbers
• Classification, spatial relationships, imitation
• Expressive language, and communication

Outcome 3 states that children will take action to meet their needs.  This involves:

• Taking care of basic needs
• Getting from place to place and using tools
• Contributing to own health and safety

It includes areas like:

• Integrating motor skills to complete tasks
• Self-help skills (dressing, feeding)
• Acting on the world to get what one wants

IDEA requires that children receiving both early intervention and preschool special education services be assessed related to their progress in these three early childhood outcome areas using appropriate assessment tools and strategies.  In Maryland, birth through two year olds receiving early intervention services through an IFSP, as well as preschoolers receiving services through an extended IFSP, are assessed in these three early childhood outcomes through the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) process embedded within the IFSP process. A Child Outcomes Summary (COS) tutorial was developed to help early intervention providers in taking a functional approach to measuring early childhood outcomes.

Preschoolers receiving special education services through an IEP are assessed in the three early childhood outcome areas currently using The Work Sampling System. This will change in the future with Maryland's new Start Strong: Early Childhood Comprehensive Assessment System. 

The federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is continuing to analyze state and national data that shows that children are making progress and that services are effective.  Children in both programs are assessed regarding their developmental status at entry to services, and then regarding their developmental progress at exit when they leave services.