State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education (Page 103 of 277) in pdf

State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education Page 103

Arkansas Department of Education Special Education Unit

Part B State Performance Plan

Because of the State’s experience with EI and EC data limitations in the recent APR submissions, the State

became cognizant of the need to move more aggressively to establish measurable, accountable systems for

assessing performance and compliance, and in planning, implementing, and evaluating improvement

strategies. Therefore, the EI and EC lead agencies jointly submitted a proposal for a General Supervision

Enhancement Grant (GSEG) in 2004 to establish not only a joint EI/EC long-term system goal but also the

ability to measure the system’s performance with respect to these goals.

Through the GSEG, the ADE and Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services

ADHHS) oversaw

(

the development of the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and EC IEP web-based applications. The

steering- and sub-committees have adopted birth to five child outcomes, aligned the outcomes to the

Arkansas Infant Toddler Frameworks and the Early Childhood Frameworks, and are undertaking the

identification of assessment tools that meet Arkansas’ needs.

In 2005, Arkansas received a General Supervision Enhancement Grant (GSEG) to address Early Childhood

Outcomes (ECO) and adopted three of the birth to five outcomes recommended by the Early Childhood

Outcomes (ECO) Center. The Outcomes system under development includes a seamless IFSP and IEP

web-based application (Special Education Automated System (SEAS™)), which will incorporate the

outcome measurement collection tool.

The measurement will incorporate a

• norm referenced or criterion referenced assessment aligned to the Arkansas Infant Toddler and Early

Childhood Frameworks;

• teacher observation and perception which includes the special education teacher, general education

teacher, and speech therapist; and

• related services providers observations and perceptions which includes physical therapists,

occupational therapists, and behavioral/mental health professionals.

Arkansas has not selected a single assessment for early childhood programs to use. Programs can use any

norm referenced or criterion referenced assessment aligned to the Arkansas Infant Toddler and Early

Childhood Frameworks; further, all programs are required to use the ECO Child Outcome Summary Form

(COSF) as directed in Commissioner’s Memo LS-07-042 ( ). The

Commissioner’s Memo outlined the following instructions regarding Indicator 07.

1. All Part B Early Childhood agencies will use the Child Outcomes Summary Form (COSF) to

develop and assign child-specific Outcomes ratings. The COSF and instructions can be downloaded

from the Special Education website at by clicking on the Direct Services for

Students and Families link on the navigation panel on the left. From the Direct Services Support

page, access the Early Childhood link. The COSF posted at this link is available in an editable

format for ease of use by Arkansas Part B Early Childhood agencies.

2. Part B Early Childhood agencies will use the process learned at the August 17, 2006, Early

Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Center training to determine child-specific Outcomes, to include the

formation of an appropriate team and the utilization of appropriate assessments and other data.

3. The entry Outcomes ratings must be developed and assigned within thirty (30) days of entry into the

program. The exit Outcomes ratings must be developed and assigned within thirty (30) days of exit

(as long as the duration of preschool services was for six [6] months or more). For preschool

children entering a Part B program, the ADE-SEU recommends that data derived from full and

Page | 101

State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education Page 103

Related Articles

Related forms

Related Categories