Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Center

Summary

The ECO Center assisted state agencies in building measurement systems for programs serving infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities and their families. The center provided technical assistance to support states in developing high-quality child and family outcome measurement systems.

Full description of project work

SRI, the University of North Carolina’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, RTI International, and the University of Connecticut participated in this collaborative center. Work focused on:

• Knowledge development: The ECO Center partnered with seven states to develop a framework and self-assessment for states to build and strengthen early childhood outcome measurement systems. The self-assessment specifies the components necessary for a high-quality measurement system for child outcomes and provides a structure for states to track progress toward fully developed systems. The self-assessment also provides guidance for states to address areas in need of improvement. A second self-assessment has been developed for systems to measure family experiences and outcomes.
• Technical assistance and dissemination: The ECO Center conducted activities to support states in building outcome measurement systems. Activities included hosting an annual national outcomes meeting, convening national conference calls, maintaining a website, forming and supporting communities of practice, developing a cadre of experts to provide states with outcomes-related technical assistance, and developing training materials.
• Leadership and coordination: The ECO Center worked with diverse individuals through an advisory board and work groups. The center also regularly coordinated with other projects and organizations about measuring early childhood outcomes.

The work of the ECO Center is currently being continued through the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center. SRI, the University of North Carolina’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, RTI International, and others participate in this collaborative center.