Inclusive Placement Opportunities for Preschoolers (IPOP): One State’s Plan for Systems Change Inclusive Placement Opportunities for Preschoolers (IPOP): One State’s Plan for Systems Change July th National Early Childhood Inclusion Institute

What Does Virginia Look Like?

State Demographics Virginia’s SPP and APR  Preschool Placement Baseline (2004) – 28% in settings with typically developing peers  Placement data 2005 – 30%  70 divisions met target (62 did not) State population – 7,642,884 (2006); 8% growth from 2000; 6.7% under 5 years PK ECSE Special Ed All students PK ECSE Special Ed All students ,396 16, ,704 1,221, ,396 16, ,704 1,221, ,986 16, ,669 1,232, ,986 16, ,669 1,232,436 (Some duplication in PK numbers. Does not include community-based Head Start)

Why Make the Effort?  Greater and more lasting impact if change occurs through a coordinated system-wide approach versus several isolated and disconnected initiatives  NCLB/IDEA ‘04  State standards for 4-year-olds  We Are Passionate About Doing What Is Best For Kids!

Federal Description of Data Needed for State Annual Performance Plan  Indicator 6: Percent of children with IEPs who received special education and related services in settings with typically developing peers (i.e., early childhood settings, home, and part-time early childhood/part-time early childhood special education)

Preschool Placement Data

Dec 1, 2005 Child Count Early Childhood Setting (Not SpEd) % Early Childhood Setting (SpEd) % Home10426% Part ECE Setting (Not SpEd) & Part ECSE Setting (SpEd) % Residential Facility (Public or Private) 14<1% Separate School (Public or Private) 137<1% Itinerant Service % Reverse mainstream 29<1% TOTAL18,458

LRE for Preschoolers in Virginia: 2005 Child Count Data for 3-5s  VA ECSE settings: 45%  VA EC settings: 15%  VA Itinerant settings: 23%  Average of all 50 states, DC, and BIA ECSE settings: 33.1%  Number of states with more students in ECSE settings than Virginia: 13

Dec. 1, 2006 Child Count Early Childhood Setting (Not SpEd) % Early Childhood Setting (SpEd) % Home6904% Residential Facility (Public or Private) 6<1% Separate School (Public or Private) 83<1% Itinerant Service/Service Provider Location % TOTAL17,030

Dec. 1, 2007 Child Count (new placement definitions) Regular Early Childhood Program 11,53268% Separate Class (SpEd) 3,86323% Separate School (SpEd) 67<1% Residential Facility 18<1% Home3572% Service Provider Location 1,0226% TOTAL16,859

So, What Did We Do About This?  VDOE’s Priority Project addressed via the Inclusive Placement Opportunites for Preschoolers project: via the Inclusive Placement Opportunites for Preschoolers project:  Statewide initiative to create or expand on inclusive placements opportunities for preschoolers with disabilities

What is IPOP?  VDOE initiative; information shared via Supt’s. Memo  Application process

How Many IPOP Teams?  Cohort (7 teams)  Cohort (7 teams)  Cohort (6 teams)  Cohort 4 – 2008 (9 teams)  Total = 29 teams

Why Did We Choose A Systems Change Approach To IPOP? Systems change is:  An orderly plan to add or alter an existing program  A process involving key stakeholders  A commitment

Components of IPOP  Planning guide and training modules  Statewide training on system change and teaming  Long Term Technical Assistance within programs  Resources and materials  Funding

What We Know Works  Focus is top priority of program staff  Involves stakeholders from all levels  Builds in staff development with follow-up  Utilizes participatory decision making for all steps

What Works, con’t.  Hold regular planning meetings  Focus on using research-based models  Use structured team meeting process  Use process for reaching consensus/handling conflict  Have “critical friend” to the school team

What It Takes!  Time: 2-3 year commitment  Planning: A team to coordinate the effort  Leadership: Administrative involvement  Buy In: Is the focus of the initiative a top priority?  On-going data collection: Determine needs and help with decision making  Evaluation: How do you know you are making progress?

4 Phases of Systems Change  Readiness  Planning  Implementation  Continuation

Readiness Phase  Gather momentum  Obtain administrative approval  Form a team  Clarify purpose  Gain consensus to apply and complete application for Long Term Technical Assistance

Planning Phase  Learn a structured team meeting process  Gather information about current situation  Learn about research-based models to address the need  Visit model sites

Planning Phase, con’t.  Select a model to use  Develop a philosophy  Develop an action plan (state outcomes desired)  Gain support of school division administrators  Develop description/guide

Planning Phase, con’t.  Share information, seek support, elicit concerns  Guide the faculty to develop the program  Plan for and conduct on-going evaluations  Plan for and conduct series of training  If needed: Develop or recommend changes to position descriptions

Why We Plan First!

Implementation Phase  Plan for and conduct orientation activities to introduce and create awareness of new initiative  Pilot the initiative  Conduct regularly scheduled meetings  Evaluate the pilot and determine how/when to continue on a larger scale

Collaborative Model 4 ECSE children Head Start Class 4 ECSE children Head Start Class 8 ECSE children

Consultative Model ECSE Students Virginia Preschool Initiative Class ECSE Students Head Start Class ECSE students ECSE Students Community Childcare

Reverse Inclusion 8 Children without disabilities 8 ECSE children

Continuation Phase  Refine aspects of the program  Make program an on-going part of the system  Participation in state QRIS

Tools for Quality Improvement  Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R)  Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)

Virginia Governor’s Pre-K Initiatives  Early Childhood Initiatives Governor’s Working Group p.cfm p.cfm The Alignment ProjectHome Visiting Consortium The Alignment ProjectHome Visiting Consortium Professional Development VA’s Plan for Smart Beginnings Quality Rating Improvement SystemSchool Readiness Professional Development VA’s Plan for Smart Beginnings Quality Rating Improvement SystemSchool Readiness  Milestones of Child Development  Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals

Benchmarks  Benchmarks of Quality Inclusive Placements  Tools to Support  Goal Functionality Scale II  Intervention Matrix  EIEIO  STARE  National Individualizing Preschool Inclusion Project (NIPIP)  Robin McWilliam 

Cohorts 1,2, 3 Representing 12 school divisions Total Number of ECSE children 833 Total number of ECSE classes 77.7 Before (IPOP) After(IPOP) Number of collaborative agreements 513 Number of inclusive classrooms 1140 Number of children included

Lessons Learned from IPOP  Need for broader perspective of functionality in larger settings by ECSE  Lack of knowledge about how general education classes are facilitated  Removing children from general education once they are “identified”  Expectation of preschools, parents, ECSE  ECSE in “catch them up” mode  Need for IHEs to merge programs (ECE and ECSE)  Need for administrative buy-in  IDEA, NCLB, SPP

Communication Between IPOP Sites And Resource Staff  PB WIKI  TTAC Online

Clarifying Questions?

VDOE Resources  Virginia’s Foundation Blocks for Early Learning ationBlocks.pdf  Preschool Curriculum Review Rubric and Planning Tool hool_rubric.pdf  Early Childhood Special Education

Contact Information  VA Department of Education (VDOE)  Phyllis Mondak, 619 Coordinator   VDOE Training & Technical Assistance Centers (T/TAC)  Cheryl Henderson, Co-Director (JMU)   Dianne Koontz Lowman, ECSE Coordinator (JMU)   Sandy Wilberger, Co-Director (VCU) 

References  Lazara, A., Danaher, J., & Kraus, R. (Eds.). (2007). Section 619 Profile (15th ed.). Available from 07.pdf 07.pdf 07.pdf