CHRIS Project
The 1986 Handicap Prevention Act (Chapter 411, F. S.) mandated the establishment of local registries and information sharing systems on the pre-kindergarten at-risk and handicapped population. The Children's Registry and Information System (CHRIS) project maintains the computerized implementation of those local registries. The CHRIS database is a statewide registry of children who have disabilities that may affect their future school performance and children who may be at-risk of developing such disabilities. The statutory authority for CHRIS is Section 411.203, Florida Statutes (F.S.), entitled "Continuum of comprehensive services."
The primary target population consists of children referred for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B (3 to 5 years of age). Other children known to the interagency network of service providers may also be included in the registry.
The purpose of the CHRIS project is to expand and improve the capability and use of the CHRIS database as the tracking, reporting, case management, and planning tool for IDEA Part B. Information stored in CHRIS is used to project the needs of the service delivery system to ensure adequate capacity to meet the needs of children entering the public school system during preschool. CHRIS is also used to create reports for the Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (BEESS) and to provide information to service providers.
CHRIS Database:
Users
The data provided by the CHRIS database meet the needs of a wide range of users including:
- Child Find Specialists
- School District Staff and Administrators
- Exceptional Student Education Directors
Event Tracking Timelines
The CHRIS database contains the following information for preschool children throughout the State of Florida:
- Part C to Part B Transition
- Screening
- Evaluation
- ESE Eligibility
- Individual Education Plan/Individual Family Service Plan
Service Coordination
Service coordination information (e.g., Appointments, Referrals, Contact Logs, Follow-up Actions Needed) may be entered into the database and is available for service providers who work with individual children to ensure the efficient use of time and resources.
Reports
The CHRIS software program contains a variety of standard reports to assist users in creating commonly used reports.
COS Process
The CHRIS database is used in the collection of the Pre-K ESE Child Outcomes Summary (COS) process in support of Indicator 7 of the State Performance Plan (SPP)/Annual Performance Report (APR). Indicator 7 Child Outcomes is an accountability measure focused on the improved performance of preschool children with disabilities served through Part B Section 619 in Early Childhood Special Education.
The COS process uses a 7-point scale to summarize information on a child’s functioning in each of three child outcome areas: positive social-emotional skills, acquisition and use of knowledge skills, and use of appropriate behavior to meet needs. With the COS process, a team of individuals who are familiar with a child (including parents) can consider multiple sources of information about a child's functioning (e.g., parent and provider observations, results from direct assessment, and progress monitoring).
Technical Support
CHRIS users are assisted with data entry, report generation, and technical issues pertaining to CHRIS in a number of ways:
- CHRIS Help Desk (800) 231-5747: The CHRIS Help Desk is staffed by CHRIS personnel who provide technical assistance and support to CHRIS users.
- CHRIS Help Screen: The CHRIS Help screen is accessible from all screens within the CHRIS program and contains screen layouts and all field definitions.
- Online Resources: A variety of resources (e.g., training manuals, Field Reference Guide, FAQ) are available from the Support section of this website.
Training
Available training sessions are described in the Training section of this website. Manuals and other training materials are distributed at the training sessions and are also available in the Training section.