Special Education Alignments

The COR as a Tool For Meeting Federal Special Education Standards

The COR instruments provide valid, reliable, authentic assessment, well suited for measuring the development of children with special needs. Use the links in the box to see detailed crosswalks aligning the child outcome categories set by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), with progress indicators from the Infant-Toddler COR and Preschool COR.

OSEP Category Alignments

These crosswalks have been created by HighScope early childhood specialists and may be more accurate than COR alignments published elsewhere.

These documents enable states with programs using the COR to comply with reporting requirements announced by the OSEP for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act–2004 (IDEA), Part B (section 619). States are now required to report on three specific child outcomes within four specific categories. The three outcomes of interest are: positive social emotional skills, acquisition and use of knowledge and skills, and use of appropriate behaviors to meet needs.

The four reporting categories are:

Percentage of preschool children who maintain functioning at a level comparable to the same-aged peers
Percentage of children who improved functioning to reach a level comparable to same-aged peers
Percentage of preschool children who improve functioning (not included in the above category)
Percentage of preschool children who did not improve functioning

If you have further questions about federal special ed requirements and the COR, please e-mail Larry Schweinhart at lschweinhart@highscope.org.