Early Childhood Special Education Update March, 2016

Dawn Hendricks, Ph.D. Early Childhood Special Education Specialist

“Experts tell us that 90% of all brain development occurs by the age of five. If we don’t begin thinking about education in the early years, our children are at risk of falling behind by the time they start Kindergarten.” – Robert. L. Ehrlich

Model for Conceptualizing, Designing, and Implementing Inservice PD to Promote EC Practitioner Use of Evidence-Based Practices Dunst, C. J. (2015). Improving the design and implementation of inservice professional development in early childhood intervention. Infants and Young Children, 28(3),

Model for Conceptualizing, Designing, and Implementing Inservice PD to Promote EC Practitioner Use of Evidence-Based Practices -Increased self- determination skills -Increased reading proficiency -Increased school attendance -Increased graduation rates -Increased success in adulthood -Increased….

Preschool Indicators  Indicator 6: Preschool Least Restrictive Environment  December 1 Child Count  Indicator 7: Preschool Outcomes  SSWS, individual student data  Indicator 12: Part C to Part B Transition  SSWS, aggregate data

Indicator 12  Section 637, (a)(9)(A)(ii)(II) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act In the case of a child who may be eligible for such preschool services, with the approval of the family of the child, convene a conference among the lead agency, the family and the local educational agency not less than 90 days (and at the discretion of all such parties, not more than 9 months) before the child is eligible for the pre- school services, to discuss any such services that the child may receive.  Referral begins the 65 day timeline.

Indicator 6 What is a regular early childhood environment?

Child Count & Placement: Regular Early Childhood Program Child Count & Placement 2014 Total ECSE Receiving Majority Special Education and Related Services in Regular Early Childhood Program, at Least 10 Hours per Week 3777 Receiving Majority Special Education and Related Services in Regular Early Childhood Program, Less than 10 Hours Per Week 861 Total Majority Special Education and Related Services in Regular Early Childhood Program 4638 Percentage Receiving Majority of Special Education and Related Services in Regular Early Childhood Program (Reported in APR) 28.3%

Child Count & Placement: Self-contained/ Separate Settings Child Count/Placement Dec 2011Dec 2012Dec 2013 Dec 2014 Total ECSE Self-Contained Separate School Residential Home Service Provider Location Total Separate Services Percentage 36%38.4%35.4% 39.2% Percentage Separate School, Class or Residential (Reported in APR) 27.0%26.65% 26.68%

Child Count: Disability Category Total Dec 1, 2014 Child Count Ages Autism (AUT) Dev Delay (DD) Emotio nal Disturb ance (EMN) Hearing Impaire d (HI) Multiple Disabiliti es (MD) Intellectu al Disability (ID) Other Health Imp (OHI) Orthop edic Impair ment (OI) Specific Learning Disability (SLD) Speech or Language Impairme nt (SLI) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Visual Impairm ent (VI) 3 to 5 yr olds yr olds TOTAL

Indicator 6 YearTarget Results A) Regular early childhood program and receiving majority of sped and related service in the regular EC program >31.00%28.29%Missed target Slippage B)Separate sped class, school or residential facility <25.00%28.68%Missed target Slippage

Indicator 7 - Child Outcomes Data A. Positive social- emotional skills B. Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills C. Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs Targets 1. Of those children who entered the program below age expectations in Outcome- % that substantially increased rate of growth in Outcome by the time they exited Met target No slippage Did not meet target No slippage Met target No slippage

Indicator 7 - Child Outcomes Data A. Positive social- emotional skills B. Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills C. Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs. Targets 2. Percent of children who were functioning within age expectations in Outcome by the time they exited Met target No slippage Met target No slippage Met target No slippage

Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data (DaSY)  1 year (final meeting August, 2016)  Individual TA  Group TA  Focus:  Indicator 7  Indicator 6

Early Childhood Personnel Center Technical Assistance  Early Childhood Special Education, Early Childhood, & Early Intervention  Focus  Develop strategic work plan to be implemented by VA Cross Sector Professional Development  VCPD to expand to pre-service training in Higher Education

 Early Childhood Special Education Network  5 TTACs and community partners  Provides professional development resources to support the development of young children with disabilities and families;  Fosters collaboration with EC interventionists, service providers, agencies, and school and community programs;  Promotes state priorities, federal guidance, and EBPs, supporting implementation and;  Build the capacity of early childhood systems and programs

Virginia Cross Sector Professional Development  Promotes planning, implementation and evaluation of professional development with the intent to ensure coordination of all EC PD in Virginia 

 Virginia Commonwealth Autism Center for Excellence  Improves services and supports for individuals with ASD by promoting implementation of research-based practices in schools and the community through training, TA, research, and collaboration 

ECSE Network GOALS 1. Create a system of partnerships with individuals responsible for early childhood programs in order to build and sustain capacity.  Summer institute  Website

ECSE Network GOALS 2. Promote collection and use of valid, reliable, and accurate data for Indicators 7 and Promote the use of quality curriculum based-assessment practices. 4. Explore how preschool VTSS will be implemented and connect to K-12 VTSS to provide a full-continuum of supports.

Questions…  Do you have a continuum of placement opportunities for preschool students?  What standards do you use at the preschool level? Do you use a curriculum / curriculum based assessment?  Is appropriate professional development provided to preschool educators? Is professional development combined for all EC educators?

IPOP Inclusive Placement Opportunities for Preschoolers  A systems approach to preschool inclusive practices  Designed to help LEAs meet federal and state mandates that children with disabilities be educated in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)  Three types of inclusive placement opportunities:  Early childhood settings,  Part-time early childhood/part-time early childhood special education settings, and  Reverse inclusion settings  Manual under revision  TA available through T/TACs

Website changes…

VDOE Instruction/Early Childhood  Virginia Foundation Blocks for Early Learning: Comprehensive Standards for Four-Year-Olds (PDF) Virginia's Foundation Blocks – Comprehensive Standards for Four-Year-Olds describes specific indicators for pre- kindergarten children in the content areas of reading and mathematics.  Preschool Curriculum Review Rubric and Planning Tool (PDF) – The rubric is designed to assist early childhood educators with reviewing curricula and products to determine if they align with the Foundation Blocks for Early Learning.  Virginia’s Quality Indicators for Responsive Teaching: Creating a High Quality Preschool Learning Environment (PDF) – This checklist aligns with the preschool standards and helps teachers, parents, and administrators focus on creating shared, active, and hands-on opportunities for young children to develop their full potential.

How does your division improve Early Childhood Special Education services? What resources and supports do you need?