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Child Development Services

Department of Education staff and CDS regional site staff have undertaken research and analysis to determine the most valid and reliable methods for measuring outcomes for children receiving services under IDEA, ages birth to 5 years of age. According to Public Law 108-446, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA), 20 USC 1416(a)(3)(A) performance indicator #3 for infants and toddlers, and #7 for preschoolers, require States to report annually the percent of infants and toddlers with IFSPs/IEPs who demonstrate improved:

• Positive social-emotional skills (including social relationship);

• Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills (including early language/communication);

• Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs. 

Effective April 1, 2007, the Department-approved Child Outcome Summary Form (COSF) must be utilized by service provider teams to measure the child outcomes listed above.  This decision was based in part on the success of three local CDS Sites in producing outcomes data for the Annual Performance Report (APR) to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Education February 2007.

Helpful Resources

Developmental Milestones For Your Child's First Five Years
The Development Milestones for Your Child's First Five Years are the ABC's of Child Development and was adapted by PBS. The milestones suggested for each area offer examples of the developmental leaps that young children make. These are not complete lists.

Decision Tree
The decision tree was revised by the Early Childhood Outcomes Center as a tool for training in the use of the 7-point Child Outcomes Summary Form. The decision tree represents a series of questions about the extent to which a child exhibits age-appropriate skills and behaviors. Responses to questions on the decision tree guide the user to a specific rating category on the 7-point scale. Walking through the questions can guide a rating-scale discussion or confirm a final rating decision.

Administrative Letter #14 - CDS Procedures for Measuring Child Outcomes - PDF format

Sample Child Outcomes Summary Form - Microsoft Word format

Guidelines for completing the Child Outcomes Summary Form - PDF format

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