Facts In Action

The Minnesota Interagency Early Childhood Network - a network made up of representatives of early childhood, family and health-related programs from four Minnesota state agencies - developed a common set of outcomes and indicators bridging individual state agencies and programs to measure the well-being of children and families in Minnesota (example below). The indicators they identified are both observable and measurable, and describe the specific statistic (percentage) necessary to calculate in order to summarize the level of outcome achievement.

EXAMPLE:

Outcome: All children and their families have access to quality early childhood care and education.

Indicators:

• Percent of children birth through 2 whose families are seeking and participating in high-quality early childhood care and education experiences.

• Percent of children ages 3 to 5 participating in high-quality early childhood care and education.

• Percent of children participating in early childhood care and education who do not require special education services at kindergarten or the first grade.

• Percent of family members who attend or participate in school or community-based early care and education experiences in which their child is enrolled.

• Percent of early childhood care and education programs and services that include a parent education component.

Source:
All Our Children: Outcomes and Indicators, Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning. Available online at: http://education.state.mn.us/stellent/groups/public
/documents/translatedcontent/pub_010861.pdfEditor's Note: this url is no longer active.

For more information:
contact MDCFL, Early Childhood and Family Initiatives, 1500 Highway 36 West, West Building, Roseville, MN, 55113-4266, call (651) 582-8426, or look on-line at http://cfl.state.mn.us/ecfi/outcome.pdf. Editor's Note: this url is no longer active.

Facts in Action, May 2000