Indicator 7 Outcomes
- About Indicator 7 - Indicator 7: Preschool Outcomes evaluates the percent of preschoolers with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) who demonstrate improved child outcomes in three areas: (7a) Positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships), (7b) Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills (including early language/communication and early literacy), and (7c) Use of appropriate behavior to meet their needs.
- Training - This page provides trainings for professionals and/or teams to complete the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) process correctly, in order to accurately report Indicator 7 data. These resources are intended for those new to the ratings process, as well as those that would like a refresher.
- Instructions - This page provides resources for how to complete the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) process, a team process for summarizing information related to a child’s progress on each of the three child outcome areas for Indicator 7 (i.e. the percentage of preschool children with Individualized Education Programs who demonstrate improved a) positive social-emotional skills, b) acquisition and use of knowledge and skills, and c) use of appropriate behavior to meet needs).
- Fidelity - This page provides resources to help professionals increase the fidelity of the Child Outcomes Summary process, including how to check the completeness and accuracy of a COS form. Information includes how well users understand the three outcomes and the 7-point rating scale, how to document the rating, and whether the documentation supports the rating.
- State Data
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Description: The Indicator 7 Technical Assistance Document was updated in 2025 to assist school divisions to implement the COS process with fidelity. Indicator 7: Child Outcomes Summary Process Technical Assistance Document - The purpose is to assist school divisions to implement the COS process with fidelity. Indicator 7: Child Outcomes Summary Process Technical Assistance Document (Updated 2/2025)
Description: Outcome Measurement - Self Directed Learning. This page provides mini training sessions on a variety of child and family outcomes related topics. Each session is a short, stand-alone piece suitable for self-paced online learning. The videos for "why collect outcome data" and "integrating the outcomes into the IFSP and IEP" can also be found on this page.
Description: This Video: Child Outcomes Step by Step provided by ECTA Center provides an overview of the three child outcomes adopted by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and reported on by all state preschool special education (Part B/619) programs as part of their Annual Performance Report (APR). The video can be used for professional development and training.
Description: Frequently Asked Questions on ECTA Center site - This link summarizes many questions frequently asked about the child and family outcomes measurement process and provides brief answers. Topics include: Outcomes and Federal Reporting, Child Outcomes, Family Outcomes, Child Outcomes Summary (COS) Process, Crosswalks, Family Outcomes Survey, and Acronyms.
Description: Child Outcome Summary Process Discussion Prompts-This document provides information and questions regarding the three outcome areas: a.) Positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships), b.) Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills (including early language/ communication and early literacy), and c.) Use of appropriate behaviors to meet needs.
Description: This page supports high-quality Child Outcomes Summary (COS) ratings by helping teams connect their observations of children's functional skills and behaviors with the three child outcomes. Effectively aligning functional skills and outcomes will help Part C early intervention and Part B, Section 619 preschool special education program teams improve their outcome measurement. By making connections between provider and caregiver observations with the three child outcomes, it becomes increasingly...
Description: IDEA requires states to report state-level and division-level indicator data on the performance of students with disabilities. Indicator 7: Preschool Outcomes focuses on the improved performance of preschool children with disabilities. Specifically, states are required to report the percent of children with IEPs who demonstrate improved a) positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships); b) acquisition and use of knowledge and skills (including early language/...
Description: Crosswalks cross-reference the functional skills assessed by various published instruments with the three child outcomes required by OSEP for Part C and Part B, Section 619 programs to assess the degree to which these instruments measure the required outcomes. Crosswalks were generated for instruments based on the frequency of informal requests from states.
Description: IDEA Child Outcomes Highlights for FFY 2020 summarizes data that states report annually to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) on three child outcomes for IDEA Part C Early Intervention and Part B Preschool programs: social relationships, use of knowledge and skills, and taking action to meet needs. The ECTA and DaSy Centers produce this annual illustrates national child outcomes data for children exiting Part C and Part B preschool and national trends over time and provides a...
Description: This site was developed by the National Parent Technical Assistance Center at PACER in collaboration with the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) and provides a family friendly overview of the Child Outcomes
Description: States and local programs are making child and family outcomes measurement more efficient and more effective by integrating those processes with IFSP and IEP development and implementation. The ECTA Center works to support states that are making changes to their systems and materials to integrate these two processes. Resources include a presentation provides an overview to the IFSP-IEP integration processes, an interactive guide, flowcharts, and activities..
Description: A series of online modules that include information on early childhood development as it relates to the different child outcome statements that are the focus of the Office of Special Education Programs' (OSEP) accountability reporting requirements for state Part C Early Intervention and Part B/619 Early Childhood Special Education programs serving young children with disabilities.
Description: A comprehensive online module has been developed jointly by the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) and the Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSY) to support those who provide instruction or related services to infants, toddlers and preschoolers with disabilities. The module provides key information about the COS process, and the practices that contribute to consistent and meaningful COS decision-making. The course can be used by an individual or can be used to...
Description: The Child Outcomes Summary Process: Procedures Specific to Virginia webinar provides guidance from the Virginia Department of Education to school divisions to complete the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) process, a team process for summarizing information related to a child’s progress on each of the three child outcome areas for Indicator 7 (i.e. the percentage of preschool children with Individualized Education Programs who demonstrate improved a) positive social-emotional skills, b)...
Description: In addition to the Virginia resources, the ECTA website provides many resources to help with delivery of professional development on the COS process. A Guide to the COS Process Training and Technical Assistance Resource - This document provides an overview of many of the resources available on the ECTA Outcomes webpage that can support local, regional or state training and technical assistance on child outcomes. COS Training Resources - The ECTA website provides...
Description: Indicator 7: Child Outcomes is an accountability measure focused on the improved performance of preschool children with disabilities. OSEP requires states to measure and report on the percentage of preschoolers with IEPs who, between the time they enter and exit early childhood special education services, demonstrate improved: positive social-emotional skills, acquisition and use of knowledge and skills, and use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs. To accurately and systematically...
Description: The Indicator 7 Technical Assistance Document was updated in 2025 to assist school divisions to implement the COS process with fidelity. Support documents include the COS Summary Form, COS Decision Tree, COS Summary Rating Guide, and COS Process Discussion Prompts. Indicator 7: Child Outcomes Summary Process Technical Assistance Document - The purpose is to assist school divisions to implement the COS process with fidelity. Indicator 7: Child Outcomes Summary Process Technical...
Description: This resource is designed to help division level personnel increase the fidelity of the COS process. Child Outcomes Summary Team Collaboration Toolkit is designed to assist states and programs in improving the COS team collaboration. Built around a checklist of quality practices, the COS-TC is a toolkit that provides a mechanism for those who implement, supervise, or train on the COS process to identify, observe, and assess recommended team collaboration practices in COS implementation. It...
Description: This resource is designed to help division level personnel increase the fidelity of the COS process. Guidance for Reviewing Completed Child Outcomes Summary Forms for Quality Assurance from ECTA Center - This link provides guidance on how to check the completeness and accuracy of a COS form. The guidance includes checks to see whether users understand the three outcomes and the 7-point rating scale, how to document the rating, and whether the documentation supports the rating.
Description: This resource is designed to help division level personnel increase the fidelity of the COS process. Child Outcome Summary Process Self-Assessment - This tool is a self-assessment intended to be used by division personnel involved in the OSEP Child Outcomes Summary process. It can be used by individuals or as part of a peer review process to reflect upon the extent to which the process used by the program meets the quality expectations of the state.