| Note on ROLLING YEARS:
close window WHAT IS A ROLLING YEAR? Beginning with Quarter 2, 2003 (data extracted through June 30, 2003), many tables will be updated quarterly, using "ROLLING YEARS." A rolling year examines an outcome for children in a year-long cohort, but the year will not always be equal to the January-December calendar year. A rolling year can be either January 1-December 31 (of the same year), or April 1 (of one year) to March 31 (of the following year); similarly, other rolling year periods can be July 1-June 30, or October 1-September 30. Each quarter, at least some measures will be available using the most recent rolling year data available for that measure. The rolling year used depends on the outcome being examined. For example, using Quarter 2, 2003 data, we can look at first entries to care for children who enter July 1, 2002-June 30, 2003, reunifications within 12 months for children who entered July 1, 2001-June 30, 2002, and adoptions within 24 months for children who entered July 1, 2000-June 30, 2001. When new data is available, we can roll these measures forward while still examining a 365-day cohort, e.g. October 1-September 30 for Quarter 3, 2003. This gives users of the website the ability to monitor trends over time without the problems associated with quarterly measures (seasonal effects, very little data in small counties). |