Assessment, Evaluation, And Programming System (AEPS

Assessment, Evaluation, andProgramming System (AEPS )Jennifer Grisham-Brown, Ed.D.University of Kentuckyjgleat00@.uky.edu Jennifer Grisham-Brown, Kentucky Early Childhood Data Project, 2007

Introductions and Removal ofHatsPresenters and Participants

Why the discussion? Head Start Outcomes Framework Good Start/Grow Smart early learningguidelines OSEP monitoring

Child Outcomes as Standards forTeaching and Learning States and Systems developing childoutcomes Emphasis on Accountability Provides framework for teaching and learning Standards must be interpreted intomeaningful processes at the local level

AND Where there are standards, thereis Accountability!

OSEP OUTCOMES1. Positive social-emotional skills (includingsocial relationships)2. Acquisition and use of knowledge andskills (including early language/communication and early literacy)3. Use of appropriate behaviors to meettheir needs.OSEP does not want norm-referenced tests to be used to measurethese outcomes

Positive Social Emotional Skills Children develop and maintain positive social relationshipswith adults and peers in age appropriate ways, andbehave in a way that adheres to socially establishednorms, and values. Some examples of how childrendemonstrate positive social relationships are:– Initiates and maintains positive social interactions.– Builds and maintains relationships with children and adults.– Interacts in ways that allows them to participate in a varietyof settings and situations, for example, on the playground, atdinner, at the grocery store, in child care, etc.– Understands and follow social established rules and norms.– Resolves conflicts in socially acceptable and ageappropriate ways.

Acquisition of Knowledge andSkills Children acquire age appropriate knowledge and skills in theirability to think, reason, remember and retrieve, and solveproblems across a variety of everyday routines and activities;and acquire pre-academic knowledge such areas asmathematics, communication, language and literacy. Someexamples of how children demonstrate the acquisition ofknowledge and skills are:– Uses vocabulary either through spoken means, sign language, orthrough augmentative communication devices to communicate inan increasingly complex form.– Acquires and uses the precursor knowledge and skills that willallow them to begin to learn reading and mathematics.– Shows imagination and creativity, and the ability to thinksymbolically in play.– Combines and uses knowledge to solve problems

Use of Appropriate Behaviors toMeet Needs Children meet their needs in ways which are bothage and functionally appropriate. Children initiateactions to meet their physical needs such as thosefor comfort, safety, and well being, as well aspsychological needs such as the need to master andengage with one’s environment. Some examples ofhow children take action to meet their needs are:– Uses gestures, sounds, words, signs or other means tocommunicate wants and needs.– Meets their self care needs (feeding, dressing, toileting,etc.).– Seeks help when necessary to assist with basic care orother needs.– Follows rules related to health and safety.

What we can’t losesight of .

Recommended PracticeStandards for Assessment Used for a variety of purposesAcceptable to families and professionalsAuthentic practicesCollaborative approachesConvergence of perspectivesAccommodations are made for individual differencesSensitivity to small increments of changeCongruence between design and implementation

Linked System ApproachAssessmentCollectingInformation Observations Direct Tests ReportMonitoring Weekly Quarterly AnnualEvaluationIFSPsSummarizingInformation Child Outcomes Family OutcomesCurricularApproach Activity-BasedInterventionIntervention

What is the AEPS ? Assessment Evaluation Programming System

What the AEPS Is and IsNOT It is riculum-basedPart of a linked systemUsable by individuals andteams– Useful for: Determining child’s levelpresent level ofperformance Writing IFSP’s/IEPs Planning intervention Monitoring performanceover time It is not – Normed– Useful for creatingage equivalenciesor standardscores– A screening tool

LSIN K IN GME A S U R E M E N TPR O C E S S E SIs fu rth e rte s tin gn e e d e d ?C R E E N IN GN oY e sDD o e s th ec h ild n e e ds e r v ic e s ?IA G N O S T ICN oY e sPAR O G R A M M A T ICS S E S S M E N TEV A L U A T IO NW h a t is c h ild ’sc u r r e n t s k ill le v e l?Isc h ildL in k in gm a k in gp ro g re s s ?A s s e s s m e n t, In te r v e n tio n , a n dT o p ic 1 – A s s e s s m e n t a n dE v a lu a t io nE v a lu a t io n

Assessment Evaluation and Programming System(AEPS ) for Infants and Children (Second Edition)VOLUME 1AEPSTMAdministrationGuideVOLUME 2AEPSTMTestLevel I and IIVOLUME 3AEPS TMCurriculum for Birthto ThreeVOLUME 4AEPS TMCurriculum forThree to Six

Getting to Know the AEPS¾ Divide into pairs or small groups¾ Review the social area of the ChildObservation Data Recording Form¾ What is the most difficult skill in the area?What is the easiest skill?¾ Which skills are part of children’s dailyroutines?¾ Which skills impact children’s participation indaily routines such as play, feeding,dressing, and getting needs met?

Nuts and Bolts of the AEPS Two separate developmental levels– Birth to Three (0-36 months)– Three to Six (36-72 months) Can be used successfully withdifferent populations– Children with disabilities– Children at risk– Children who are typically developing

Nuts and Bolts Continued Covers six broad developmental areas– Fine Motor– Gross Motor– Adaptive– Cognitive– Social-Communication– Social

Benefits of the AEPS Measures functional skillsComprehensiveUses observationsFamily involvementMonitors performanceAllows for adaptations andmodifications

Myths Have to use all components Takes a long time to complete Isn’t appropriate for children withsevere disabilities

Disadvantages? Not NormedTime investmentFamiliarityTeam participation# of components

Cooperative Learning ActivityGroup One Gain an understanding how theAEPS Test is organized– What are areas, strands, goals, andobjectives?– How are items ordered? How do you gather information about achild’s performance for the AEPS Test? How are items scored? Where do you begin? Where do you end? Do you need to gather information andscore every AEPS Test item from everyarea?

Cooperative Learning ActivityGroup Two In addition to scoring items, teams are encouraged touse scoring notes (qualifying notes). What are theyand how do you use them?– Does every scored item require a note?– Where do you record the score and/or the note on the ChildObservation Data Recording Form? Provide an example of how and when you would useeach of the notes Are you allowed to make modifications andadaptations of AEPS items?– If yes, what is allowed?– Provide a couple of examples of how you would modify oradapt an AEPS item

Organizational Structure of AEPS ItemsAREASTRAND AGoal 1Goal 2Obj. 1.1Obj. 2.1Obj. 1.2Obj. 2.2Obj. 1.3Obj. 2.3STRAND BGoal 3Goal 1Goal 2Obj. 3.1Obj. 1.1Obj. 2.1Obj. 3.2Obj. 1.2Obj. 2.2Obj 2.3Strands: Easy to More DifficultGoals: Easy to More DifficultObjectives become more difficult as the goal is approached.

Difficult!Easy!Strand AStrand BGoal 1Goal 2Objective 3Objective 2Strand CGoal 3Objective 1

Scoring Options 2 independently, consistently, meetscriteria 1 with assistance, inconsistently,meets part of the criteria 0 Not yet, not expected, does notmeet criteria

Scoring Note Options A Assistance (1 or 0) B Behavior (1 or 0) R Report (2, 1, 0) M Modification (2, 1, 0) D Direct Test (2, 1, 0) Q Quality (2, 1, 0)

Relationship betweenGoals and Objectives Goals and objectives are related in terms ofbeing parts of a whole– Objectives equal parts– Goal whole (sum of the parts) Goals and objectives are organized in adevelopmental hierarchy– Objectives are in a developmental order –sequence– Goal is the culminating skill

Additive

Developmental

Scoring Decisions If either type of goal is a 2, then allassociated objectives can be scored a 2 If and additive goal is scored a 0, then allassociated objectives can be scored a 0. If a developmental goal is scored a 0, thenlook at the next objective– As soon as an objective is scored a 2, then allremaining objectives are scored a 2

Video PracticeGross Motor

Towel Activity Divide into pairs Review items from the Cognitive area of theLevel I Child Observation Data RecordingForm Pretend you only have a towel (any type oftowel) and a child that needs assessed How many AEPS items can you assesswith just a towel? Make sure you refer tothe criteria!

Purpose of theSocial Communication Area Primary method of communicationStarting place is determinedFunctionSound production patternsIntelligibility level

Social Communication Area Level I– Goals from strand A and C can be assessed andscored as any other item from the AEPS– Goals from Strand B or D may require a languageobservation Level II– Goals from strand A be assessed and scored as anyother item from the AEPS– Goals from Strand B may require a languageobservation

Social-Communication AreaStrands Level I Strand A - Prelinguistic Communications Strand B - Transition to Words Strand C - Comprehension of Words andSentences Strand D - Production of SocialCommunicative Signals, Words andSentences

Social-Communication Area StrandsLevel IIStrand A - Social-CommunicativeInteractionsStrand B - Production of Words, Phrases, and Sentences

Forms for RecordingCommunication Data Recording Form (regular AEPS forpractice only) Social-Communication Observation Form Social-Communication Summary Form

Communicative SignalsHow did the child communicate? Gestures - pointing, nodding, reaching Vocalizations - sounds that are notconventional words Vocalizations with Gestures - vocalization andgesture at the same time

Communicative SignalsDid you understand the child’sattempt to communicate? Interpretable Partially interpretable Not interpretable

Communicative FunctionWhy did the child communicate? To gain attention To respond to a question To refer to an object or person To greet someone To protest or refuse

ConductingLanguage Observations9Communicative atmosphere9Be familiar with the child9Across time, activities and people9Observe or interact9Verbatim with paper and pencil oraudio/video tape

Video PracticeSocial Communication Observation

Assessment Activity Plans Designed to assess a single child inmultiple areas or multiple children withinand across areas. AEPS comes with 12 pre-written activitiesto assess a variety of children acrossdevelopmental areas Can create your own that parallel existingplanned activities or those provided in theAEPS.

AEPSi Assessment ActivitiesCenter-based Book About MeClassroom Transitions andRoutinesDramatic PlayMeals and SnackStory TimePlaydough and ManipulativesOutdoor PlayConversation with FamiliarAdults

AEPSi Assessment ActivitiesRoutine-Based Rough & TumbleQuiet TimeMystery BoxFeeding & MealsDaily Transitions &Routines Conversations withCaregivers Busy Hands

Small Group Activity Review an assessment activity Describe to rest of group:– Skills to assess– Other activities where you might assess skills onprotocol– Special considerations

Practice 1 View videoScore skills evidenced within activityDiscuss results with groupDiscuss changes you would make to theactivity

Practice 2 View videoScore skills evidenced within activityDiscuss results with groupDiscuss changes you would make to theactivity

Family Report 2 Levels (birth to three and three to six)– 2 sections Family Routines (Section 1) Family Observations (Section 2)– Quantitative and Qualitative Information Family information is critical to help guide thedevelopment of the IFSP and subsequentintervention