1. Camille Catlett and Megan Vinh
Powerful Perspectives: How New Federal Policies and Position Statements Can Inform Our Work
Camille Catlett and Megan Vinh

2. What are we doing today?
Brief overview of the federal policy statements
Focus on the:
Inclusion policy statement
Suspension/Expulsion policy statement
Discuss how these resources can be used

4. Federal Policy Statements
Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs
Policy Statement on Expulsion and Suspension Policies in Early Childhood Settings
Policy Statement on Family Engagement From the Early Years to Early Grades
Policy Statement on Supporting the Development of Children who are Dual Language Learners in Early Childhood Programs

5. In the findings to the IDEA, Congress states, “Almost 30 years of research and experience has demonstrated that the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective by..having high expectations for such children and ensuring their access to the general education curriculum in the regular classroom program, to the maximum extent possible in order to …meet developmental goals and, to the maximum extent possible, the challenging expectations that have been established for all children…”
Policy makers have partnered with families, advocates, practitioners, and researchers for decades to expand access to inclusive early childhood programs for children with disabilities, reinforced by a strong legal foundation.

6. Federal Policy Statement
Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs

7. The United States Departments of Education and Health and Human Services Policy Statement on Inclusion (2015):
Sets a vision and provides recommendations to States, LEAs, schools, public and private EC programs for increasing inclusion of infants, toddlers, and preschool children with disabilities in high quality EC programs.

8. The Departments aim to advance this position by:
Setting an expectation for high-quality inclusion,
Increasing public understanding of the science that supports meaningful inclusion,
Highlighting the legal foundations supporting inclusion,
Providing recommendations to States, LEAs, schools, and early childhood programs for increasing inclusion, and
Identifying free resources.

9. Challenges to Inclusion
Attitudes and beliefs
IDEA interpretation and perceived barriers
Lack of staffing, training, and expertise in the EC workforce
Lack of comprehensive services
Limited time and commitment to build partnerships

10. Recommendations for State Action
Create a state-level interagency taskforce and plan for inclusion
Ensure state policies support high-quality inclusion
Set goals and track data
Review and modify resource allocations
Ensure quality rating frameworks are inclusive
Strengthen accountability and build incentive structures
Build a coordinated EC professional development system
Implement statewide supports for children’s social-emotional and behavioral health
Raise public awareness

11. Recommendations for Local Action
Partner with families
Adhere to legal provisions of supports and services in inclusive settings with IFSPs/IEPs
Assess and improve the quality of inclusion in EC programs
Review and modify resource allocation
Enhance professional development
Establish an appropriate staffing structure and strengthen staff collaboration
Ensure access to specialized supports
Develop formal collaborations with community partners

12. Nearly 1 million children were suspended in the 1972-1973 school year.
In 1973, the national suspension rate was In 2010 the suspension rate was 7.4 percent (Losen & Gillespie, 2012).
Megan
First suspension study was in 1975 by the Children’s Defense Fund
Suspension rates for all students have doubled since the 1970s.

13. Suspensions are an adult behavior
Rosemarie Allen TED Talk:

14. Federal Policy Statement
Expulsion and Suspension Policies in Early Childhood Settings
Follows the release of the Department of Educations Guiding Principles: A resource guide for improving school climate and discipline-provides recommendations for K-12 settings to reduce expulsion, suspension, and disciplinary removals.

15. Recommends use of evidence-based approaches.
The United States Departments of Education and Health and Human Services Policy Statement on Expulsion and Suspension Policies in Early Childhood Settings (2015):
Raises awareness about the negative impacts of suspension and expulsion,
Recommends states develop policies that prevent exclusion as a disciplinary measure
Recommends use of evidence-based approaches.
Identify free resources to support States, programs, teachers, and providers.
Megan
Raises awareness about the negative impacts of suspension and expulsion, including the disproportionate number of children of color that are subjected to such exclusionary practices,
Recommends states develop policies that prevent exclusion as a disciplinary measure and to administer more appropriate policies that are without bias and discrimination and
Recommends use of evidence-based approaches such as PBIS and Pyramid Model to prevent suspensions and expulsions in early childhood programs.
This joint HHS and ED policy statement aims to: • Raise awareness about expulsion, suspension, and other exclusionary discipline practices in early childhood settings, including issues of racial/national origin/ethnic and sex disparities and negative outcomes for children associated with expulsion and suspension in the early years; • Provide recommendations to early childhood programs and States on establishing preventive, disciplinary, suspension, and expulsion policies and administering those policies free of bias and discrimination; • Provide recommendations on setting goals and using data to monitor progress in preventing, severely limiting, and ultimately eliminating expulsion and suspension practices in early childhood settings; • Highlight early childhood workforce competencies and evidence-based interventions and approaches that prevent expulsion, suspension, and other exclusionary discipline practices, including early childhood mental health consultation and positive behavior intervention and support strategies; • Identify free resources to support States, programs, teachers, and providers in addressing children’s social-emotional and behavioral health, strengthening family-program relationships, increasing developmental and behavioral screening and follow-up, and eliminating racial/ national origin/ethnic, sex, or disability biases and discrimination in early learning settings;9 and • Identify free resources to support families in fostering young children’s development, socialemotional and behavioral health, and relationships.

16. Goals of the Federal Policy Statement
Prevent, severely reduce, and ultimately eliminate suspension and expulsions in early childhood settings
Improve school and program climates and discipline across the education spectrum
Megan

18. Recommendations for State Action
Develop and clearly communicate expulsion and suspension policies
Set goals for improvement and analyze data to assess progress
Invest in workforce preparation and development
Establish and Implement Policies Regarding Program Quality
Access Free Resources to Develop and Scale Best Practices

19. Recommendations for Early Childhood Programs
Develop and clearly communicate preventative guidance and discipline practices
Develop and clearly communicate expulsion and suspension policies
Assess technical assistance in workforce development to prevent expulsion and suspension
Set goals and analyze data to assess progress

20. Discussion What are your reactions
Are you using this resource/information already? If so, how?
Is this content that you could/should inform your work? If so, how?
How could this resource support leaders? Individuals who work directly with young children? Families?

21. Federal Policy Statements
Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs
Policy Statement on Expulsion and Suspension Policies in Early Childhood Settings
Policy Statement on Family Engagement From the Early Years to Early Grades
Policy Statement on Supporting the Development of Children who are Dual Language Learners in Early Childhood Programs