IDC staff members have been busy!

We presented two sessions at the CASE NASDE conference in September: Supporting and Reporting CEIS and State Policy and Local Implementation—Online Learning and SWDs. Staff also presented two sessions and two posters at the CEC-DEC Conference in October. The sessions focused on IDEA and FERPA Privacy Provisions— Understanding the Basics and Addressing Opportunity and Outcome Gaps for Young Children Ages Birth to Three. The two posters focused on Data Literacy to Support Improved Outcomes for Families and Children With Disabilities and Resources and Supports Related to Implementing Effective EI/ECSE Systems and Practices, which was a collaborative panel and poster presentation with the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and a number of other TA centers. IDC also participated in the Inclusion Collaborative State Conference in California, where staff presented on National, State, and Local Educational Environments Data: Coding and Using Data to Increase Inclusion for Children Ages 3–5.

Lastly, IDC cosponsored the IDEA Fiscal Forum with the Center for IDEA Fiscal Reporting (CIFR), in collaboration with the National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI), in Denver in November. IDC presented 10 forum sessions. Topics included the benefits of documenting fiscal processes; new data elements related to local education agency Maintenance of Effort (MOE) provisions of IDEA; the interaction of MOE and Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS); significant disproportionality, including identifying and addressing the significant disproportionality that exists and the fiscal implications of scaling up CEIS; tracking CEIS; a perspective from two states on MOE and CEIS interaction; and a comparison of the current IDEA equity requirements. IDC staff also highlighted relevant IDC tools and products.

You can find information on IDC's presentations in our online resources. Check often because we add new material regularly. We'll also send a message to the IDC listserves as soon as the Fiscal Forum presentations are posted.

IDC's Part B Data System Framework

In fall 2015, IDC began to develop a framework for states' Part B IDEA data systems, building on the successful DaSy Data System Framework, which addresses data for IDEA Part C and Section 619 programs. Creating this new tool required the expertise of many people. Each key component, indicator, and element of quality within the DaSy framework had to be confirmed or updated to address the full range of Part B data.

The IDC Work Group for this tool consisted of members from IDC and the following partner centers:

• Center for the Integration of IDEA Data (CIID)
• The Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy)
• National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI)

Thanks to the efforts of this cross-center team, an IDC Part B Data System Framework complements the DaSy Data Systems Framework and supports state education agency (SEA) staff responsible for Part B data requirements. Look for an announcement from IDC about plans for making the framework available.

In Maine, the Department of Education is the lead agency for both IDEA Part B and Part C. The Part B 619 program is housed with Child Development Services (CDS), which also houses the Part C program.

Although CDS is part of the Department of Education, it operates independently from the Office of Special Services, which oversees and supports all special education services in Maine.

The two divisions wanted to improve their communication about and coordination of 619 data collection. A new Part C and 619 data system provided the perfect opportunity for Maine to refine its 619 data collection and reporting.

IDC, in collaboration with Maine CDS, provided intensive technical assistance (TA) services designed to improve the state's 619 data collection and quality. The IDC TA team

• held weekly conference calls with the CDS staff and the vendor who built the new data system;

• provided consultation and TA with the data system requirements and data collection processes;
• provided on-site TA on 619 data collection, reporting dates, compliant processes and data governance, and privacy; and
• helped train local program sites and providers on 619 data collection.

One positive outcome attributed to the work to increase data quality was that the Maine Department of Education sent four team members to IDC's 2016 Interactive Institutes on High-Quality Part B Data— two from the Office of Special Services (Part B) and two from CDS (619). Attending the institute together provided opportunities for communication, team building, and an increased understanding of data needs. Next steps will focus on IDC staff supporting the Maine team with data processes documentation using the Part B IDEA 618 Data Processes Toolkit.

Contact your IDEA Part B or Part C State Liaison if you would like to explore ways to improve IDEA data quality in your state.

Principles of High-Quality Data

The IDEA Data Center's mission is to build capacity within states for collecting, reporting, analyzing, and using high-quality IDEA data, but what are high-quality data and how does a state or agency improve data quality?

Data security is critical. Secure data are collected and stored such that confidentiality is maintained. Electronic and physical protections are appropriate for the sensitivity of the data.

High-quality data are timely, accurate, and complete.

• Timely data are current per a specific period of time, submitted to the appropriate agency by the due date, and collected and analyzed in a period during which the data are useful for intended purposes.
• Accurate data are reliable (consistent across time, methods, and locations) and valid (represent what they intend to measure).
• Complete data represent the expected population (e.g., national, state, or local level) and subgroups.

High-quality data are also accessible and usable. Accessible data are readily available in user-friendly and practical formats, and usable data promote sound management, strong governance, and dedication to improving results for infants, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.

There are several steps that local programs and state agencies can take to enhance data quality. For example, systematically documenting processes and establishing data systems that allow for cross-department and cross-agency data sharing and matching can help institutionalize collection, validation, and submission processes. Establishing well-defined staff responsibilities for data entry and training all staff accordingly also can contribute to data quality.

Explore IDC's resources to learn more about high-quality data. Two resources we don't want you to miss are the new Part B IDEA 618 Data Processes Toolkit and Part C IDEA 618 Data Processes Toolkit. These exciting toolkits provide a structure to document your state's processes for collecting and submitting 618 data. Check in with your State Liaison for more information.

Pre-submission Edit Check Tools for IDEA 618 Part B Personnel, Exiting, and Discipline EDFacts Files

Amy Bitterman, Part C State Liaison for Indiana and Kansas, has selected the featured resource for this issue.

IDC recently released the enhanced Pre-submission Edit Check Tools for IDEA 618 Personnel, Exiting, and Discipline Part B EDFacts Files to help states prepare their IDEA 618 EDFacts Part B Personnel, Exiting, and Discipline data files prior to posting them to the EDFacts Submission System (ESS). The tools apply edit checks and identify potential errors in subtotals or totals in the data files. One exciting feature of the enhanced tools is that states can copy and paste the EDFacts data files they will submit to ESS into the tool to complete the edit checks, as opposed to manually entering data. The enhanced tools also provide user-friendly data summaries that states can use to quickly and easily share the contents of the state's EDFacts files with others. Visit the IDC Resource Library to find these tools and many others!

There are many ways to connect with IDC. The website is a great resource; however, you can also follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter or subscribe to our YouTube channel. We'd love to have you join our virtual communities!

This newsletter was developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education for The National Technical Assistance Center to Improve State Capacity to Accurately Collect and Report IDEA Data, #H373Y130002. The contents and resources in this newsletter do not necessarily represent the policy or reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Education. OSEP Project Officers: Richelle Davis and Meredith Miceli.