DRDP for Fiscal Year 2021-21

Attention: Executive and Program Directors of California Department of Education (CDE) State Subsidized Early Learning and Care Direct Service Programs

The California Department of Education (CDE), Early Learning and Care Division (ELCD) would like to thank local partners and programs for all your efforts in supporting children and families during this incredibly difficult time. We acknowledge each and every one of you who are continuing to support the children and families of California. Whether you are currently physically open, preparing to physically open, or offering early learning and care (ELC) distance learning, the ELCD acknowledges your need for guidance at this time. We appreciate your efforts and have been working hard with Administration to provide the direction you need.

DRDP Implementation Fiscal Year 2020–21

Focusing on children’s development is more important than ever as teachers, caregivers, and programs support children’s learning and development this year. The Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) provides a valuable framework for observing and reflecting on children’s progress to monitor their social-emotional and cognitive development during this difficult, and for some, potentially traumatic time, while watching for learning loss and supporting children and their families.

Per California Code of Regulations, Title 5, (5 CCR) Section 18272, the DRDP is a required tool for all direct service programs providing subsidized ELC services. The 5 CCR requirements have not been waived for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020–21, therefore, the DRDP continues to be required for all direct service programs providing ELC services, whether those services are provided in-person or via distance learning. For FY 2020–21, in light of the difficulties programs and teachers are facing due to the pandemic, ELCD will not be monitoring this year to the 60-day requirement set forth in 5 CCR Section 18272(b) and outlined in Management Bulletin (MB) 15-03. ELCD will allow contractors up to 90 days from the time of a child’s enrollment, to complete the DRDP. In addition, ELCD is allowing all programs to utilize a modified version of the DRDP, the DRDP Modified Essential View, which consists of fewer measures. (See MB 16-06 for additional information on the DRDP Essential View.)

The DRDP Modified Essential View consists of three (3) domains with 16 measures for preschoolers and 13 measures for infants and toddlers. These measures are those that can be observed through virtual interactions and designed to ease the reporting requirements on teachers. The measures that are not in the DRDP Modified Essential View still provide valuable information, and teachers are encouraged to complete additional measures when possible. For dual language learners, a minimum of the DRDP Modified Essential view plus the four (4) English Language Development measures is required. For school-age children, the Desired Results Developmental Profile–School-Age (DRDP-SA), consisting of 13 measures, is still required. As always, teachers are encouraged to work closely with families to support children’s development. Gathering family perspectives about their child’s development and behavior provides important and valid data and facilitates partnering to support children’s learning and development. Guidance, training, and additional resources are available on the Desired Results website .

Guidance on requirements for providers serving children with Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) and Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) is provided by the Special Education Division at CDE. The federal government has not waived any requirements for assessment under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and as such, DRDP requirements are less flexible for children with disabilities. Special educators will complete the Interim DRDP for Special Education, either the Preschool or Infant/Toddler version. This interim DRDP has 23 measures for preschool (including earlier development measures) and 20 measures for infants and toddlers, covering all domains of the DRDP except English Language Development for preschool. Supplemental guidance, interim rating records, and additional resources are available on the Desired Results and Access Project . (Note: When children are served by both ELCD and SED programs, the teachers and specialists are to collaborate on one assessment following the more stringent timeline, and handle DRDP data according to the requirement of each Division.)

During this time, all children’s learning and development is expected to look different from previous years. The DRDP will provide teachers with the information they need to refine their practice—both in person and virtually—to best meet the needs of the children they serve. Additionally, teachers’ observations and assessments will provide critical information about children’s learning and development during the pandemic. All observations and data provided will contribute to the state’s understanding of how California’s children are faring, which will in turn provide insights to guide decisions about how to support children and provide needed assistance to their teachers and caregivers.

The DRDP Modified Essential View

The Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) Modified Essential View, its 3 domains with 16 measures for Preschoolers, 13 measures for Infant and Toddlers, and four (4) Conditional Measures for English Language Development, are below:

Infant/Toddler Essential Modified View (13 measures)

Social Emotional Development (SED) (4)

• SED 1: Identity of Self in Relation to Others
• SED 2: Social and Emotional Understanding
• SED 3: Relationships and Social Interactions with Familiar Adults
• SED 5: Symbolic and Socio-dramatic Play *

Language and Literacy Development (LLD) (5)

• LLD 1: Understanding of Language (Receptive)
• LLD 2: Responsiveness to Language
• LLD 3: Communication and Use of Language (Expressive)
• LLD 4: Reciprocal Communication and Conversation
• LLD 5: Interest in Literacy

Cognition, Including Math and Science (COG) (4)

• COG 1: Spatial Relationships
• COG 2: Classification
• COG 3: Number Sense of Quantity
• COG 8: Cause and Effect

Preschool Essential Modified View (16 measures)

Social Emotional Development (SED) (4)

• SED 1: Identity of Self in Relation to Others
• SED 2: Social and Emotional Understanding
• SED 3: Relationships and Social Interactions with Familiar Adults
• SED 5: Symbolic and Socio-dramatic Play *

Language and Literacy Development (LLD) (7)

• LLD 1: Understanding of Language (Receptive)
• LLD 3: Communication and Use of Language (Expressive)
• LLD 4: Reciprocal Communication and Conversation
• LLD 6: Comprehension of Age-Appropriate Text
• LLD 8: Phonological Awareness
• LLD 9: Letter and Word Knowledge
• LLD 10: Emergent Writing

Cognition, Including Math and Science (COG) (5)

• COG 2: Classification
• COG 3: Number Sense of Quantity
• COG 4: Number Sense of Math Operations
• COG 6: Patterning
• COG 7: Shapes

English Language Development (Conditional measures)

• ELD 1: Classification
• ELD 2: Number Sense of Quantity
• ELD 3: Number Sense of Math Operations
• ELD 4: Patterning

*Added to Essential Modified View to be used in place of Relationships and Interactions with Peers since interactions with peers would be difficult to assess through distance learning. Use of either measure would result in a domain report for parents.

As additional questions regarding the implementation of the DRDP arise, these questions and our guidance for them will be added to our ELCD COVID-19 Resources web page.

If you have questions regarding the information in this email, please contact your assigned Program Quality Implementation Office Regional Consultant on the ELCD Consultants Regional Assignments web page.