First Steps Listserv

Subject: First Steps Data Reporting
Source: Bill Connelly, Supervisor, Data Coordination

Intended Audience: SPOE Directors, SICC

Date: May 1, 2006

As of the morning of May 1, a new SPOE Data Report is available on the First Steps data page: http://dese.mo.gov/divspeced/FirstSteps/data.html.  More reports will soon follow.

Recently, concerns were expressed by some SPOE directors regarding the reliability and accuracy of DESE’s SPOE data reports.  Having valid and reliable data has always been of utmost importance to DESE since these data are used to monitor the program, develop improvement activities and compile state and federal reports. 

Since the inception of the SPOE system and use of the SPOE software, DESE has received a “superSPOE” database twice monthly from the Central Finance Office (CFO).  The superSPOE database contains selected data elements from the software utilized by the SPOEs and/or service coordinators.  Reports created by DESE use the data from the superSPOE database.  There have been some instances where DESE has discovered that the superSPOE database did not accurately reflect the data entered in the old SPOE software, and steps were taken immediately to correct the problem through the CFO.  Since the phase-in of the WebSPOE system last summer, data issues have arisen from trying to get the WebSPOE data into the superSPOE database which was developed to hold data from the old SPOE software (think “square peg, round hole”). 

The main issues that DESE is aware of are associated with the following fields and reports:

• Unmarked Duplicates – There are currently multiple active records in the system for hundreds of children in the SPOE database, many of whom have not been marked by the SPOE as duplicate records.  DESE’s reports and other system reports need to rely on the duplicate flag in order to eliminate duplicated counts of children, but since many flags are missing, DESE has created and manually maintains its own list of duplicates for use in filtering out unmarked duplicates and ensuring reliability of active referral and IFSP figures. DESE is also looking into alternative ways to mark records as duplicate.

• Conversion to web system – Along with the presence of unmarked duplicates, if a SPOE is converting or has converted a record to the web system, both the original and the converted records show up in the superSPOE database. 

• 45-day numbers – This is a key indicator for the First Steps program, but due to the issues above, especially the records in process of being converted, unmarked duplicates and limited access to 45 day reasons, DESE is having to manually work through many of these lists.  The Active Referral and 45-day Numbers are temporarily being drawn straight from the state’s access to SPOE ‘My EI Kids’ lists at www.mofirststeps.com.

• County of Residence – The county listed as the child’s county of residence is used to assign children to SPOE regions for the SPOE reports.  If children move, and the county was not updated, the child will continue to be counted in the old county.  Conversely, historical county information is not maintained, so if a child’s county of residence is changed in the system, historical data would reflect the new county as opposed to the old.

• Primary Eligibility and Race – The structures of the old SPOE software and new web system are different and don’t allow the eligibility and race data to be easily combined through the superSPOE database.  The primary eligibility and race data have been removed from statewide reports until there emerges a different method of pulling that data.

Many of these issues go back to the superSPOE database.  In an effort to move away from using the superSPOE system, the CFO has provided an outlet for DESE to download a version of the CFO’s entire database on a regular basis.  Instead of fitting WebSPOE data into the format of the old SPOE software’s database, it does the opposite.  It delivers WebSPOE data (in 20 times more tables than are currently available in the superSPOE database) and fits the details of children in the old SPOE software into its format wherever possible.  Now that DESE has access to this database, the existing data reports will soon be revamped, and additional reports will be developed as necessary for use by both DESE and SPOEs.  While SPOEs will not have access to this database, as much data as possible will be made available to them on a monthly and as-needed basis.

Even with this exciting solution, there still exists the possibility for incompatibility between the two formats, but remember that the old SPOE software will be completely phased out by the beginning of September, alleviating most of the current data concerns revolving around duplicate records.

DESE is comfortable with the data it sends to SPOEs and posts on its website.  DESE also knows, however, that there have been glitches in the SPOE database in the past, and there will always be the possibility of errors in the queries themselves.  Incorrect data is possible, and if you feel you have seen or received incorrect data, please contact Bill Connelly at Bill.Connelly@dese.mo.gov or (573) 526-4995.  Please supply evidence for your concerns, as they are more likely to be alleviated when specific details are provided.