1. Understanding Indicator 6: Early Childhood Special Education Settings for Children Ages Birth-Five
Hello and welcome to Understanding Indicator 6: Early Childhood Special Education Settings for Children Ages Birth – Five. This online webinar is designed to provide Special Education Administrators, Preschool Special Education Coordinators, and others responsible for oversight of Early Childhood Special Education programs an overview of the reporting requirements related to Early Childhood Special Education Settings. My name is Dawn Hendricks. I am the Early Childhood Special Education Specialist. I will be your guide in this training.

2. Resources Indicator 6 Decision Tree
Educational Environments for Children Birth - Five: Instructions
Educational Environments for Children Birth - Five: Questions and Answers
Before we begin, let's discuss additional resources that can help you further understand Indicator 6 and the reporting requirements. These resources are the:  
Indicator 6 Decision Tree
Educational Environments for Children Birth - Five: Instructions, and
Educational Environments for Children Birth - Five: Questions and Answers

3. Webinar Objectives
Increase knowledge of Indicator 6 and Federal requirements
Better understand Preschool Special Education Settings
Better understand reporting requirements and procedures for Preschool Special Education Settings
Identify resources for additional support
Upon completion of this webinar, participants will:
Increase knowledge of Indicator 6 and Federal requirements,
Better understand Early Childhood Special Education Settings,
Better understand reporting requirements and procedures for Preschool Special Education Settings, and
Identify resources for additional support.

4. Virginia: Children with Individualized Education Programs Ages Birth-Five
In this webinar, we are discussing reporting requirements for children from birth - age five who have an Individualized Education Program. In the next few slides, I will discuss this further.

5. Who:
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) requires states to report the percentage of children three - five years of age
In accordance with the Code of Virginia, children with a disability whose second birthday falls on or before September 30 are age eligible for special education and related services.
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) requires states to report the percentage of children, three - five years of age, who attend 1) a regular early childhood program and receive the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program; and 2) a separate special education class, separate school, or residential facility.
In Virginia, the Code specifies that children with a disability whose second birthday falls on or before September 30 are age eligible for special education and related services. Therefore, in Virginia, we serve children younger than three years of age.

6. Data Reporting Federal Requirements -three-five years of age
State Requirements
-birth-five years of age
As noted in the previous slide, the OSEP requires states to report Indicator 6 for children ages three - five years of age.
In Virginia, data is reported for children served from birth - five years of age.
This is an important distinction. Data for children from birth - two inclusive are not reported to OSEP, but data are collected for these children in Virginia.

7. Why: Office of Special Education Programs Expectations
States will increase the number of children who attend a regular early childhood program and receive the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program.
States will reduce the number of students attending a separate special education class, separate school, or residential facility.
Reporting of Indicator 6, Early Childhood Special Education Settings, is a Federal requirement. Beyond a data reporting requirement, we are also looking at providing the Least Restrictive Environment for preschool aged children. OSEP’s expectation is that states will increase the number of children who attend a regular early childhood program and receive the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program, and will decrease the number of students attending a separate special education class, separate school, or residential facility.

8. State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR)
IDEA requires states to submit a performance plan which includes baseline data, targets, and improvement activities for the data indicators
Virginia State Performance Plan (SPP)
State-level targets have been determined for all data indicators, including Indicator 6
To determine whether this is happening, IDEA requires states to submit a performance plan which includes baseline data, targets, and improvement activities for the data indicators. This information is outlined in the Virginia State Performance Plan (SPP).
State-level targets have been determined for all data indicators, including Indicator 6. Each year, Virginia is to increase the number of children who attend a regular early childhood program and receive the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program AND
reduce the number of students attending a separate special education class, separate school, or residential facility.
Again, data are submitted to the Federal government.

9. State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR)
States are to provide annual reports on the state-level data and progress toward meeting state targets described in the state’s special education SPP
Virginia Annual Performance Report (APR)
To see Virginia’s SPP/APR
DOE Website > Special Education > Reports, Plans, and Statistics
States are to provide annual reports on the state-level data and progress toward meeting the state targets described in the state’s special education SPP. Progress is described in the Virginia Annual Performance Report (APR).
To see Virginia’s SPP/APR go to the VDOE Website, navigate to Special Education, then click on Reports, Plans, and Statistics.

10. State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR)
States are also to provide individual school division-level data and to report on whether the divisions met state targets described in the state’s special education SPP
Annual Special Education Performance Report to the Public
States are also to provide individual school division-level data and to report on whether the divisions met state targets described in the state’s special education SPP.
Division-level data for each data indicator, including Indicator 6, is found on the VDOE website on the same page noted on the previous slide. The division-level data can be found in the Annual Special Education Performance Report to the Public.
Every division in Virginia must submit their division-level data. School divisions are to increase the number of children who attend a regular early childhood program and receive the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program AND reduce the number of students attending a separate special education class, separate school, or residential facility.

11. Least Restrictive Environment
“reiterates that the least restrictive environment (LRE) requirements in section 612(a) (5) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) apply to the placement of preschool children with disabilities.”
“…separate classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment may occur only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in the regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.”
There are other reasons to support a focus on Indicator 6, Early Childhood Special Education Environments.
The U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES and the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION recently released a joint
POLICY STATEMENT ON INCLUSION OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS. A copy of the Policy Statement can be found on the website with the other Indicator 6 resources.
The Policy Statement confirms that for all children with disabilities, including children aged three - five, removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment may occur only when the nature and severity of the child's disability is such that education in the regular class with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
IEP Teams must determine the Least Restrictive Environment for each child based on what he or she needs in order to receive a free appropriate public education.

12. Program Placement
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is not a slot or based on program availability
IEP must include justification for removal from Early Childhood Program
It is important to remember that placement decisions are based on the Least Restrictive Environment required for an individual child to receive a free appropriate public education and not on “slot or program availability.”
Additionally, a child should be removed from the early childhood setting only if, even with the addition of supplementary aids and services, the child's needs cannot be met in that setting.  In this case, the IEP must include justification for the placement decision.

13. Indicator 6
Percent of children aged three -five with IEPs attending a:
A. Regular early childhood program and receiving the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program; and
B. Separate special education class, separate school or residential facility.
(20 U.S.C. 1416(a)(3)(A))
So what is Indicator 6? On this slide, you can see the two pieces of data the Federal government is interested in. Indicator 6 is the percent of children aged three - five with IEPs attending a:
A. Regular early childhood program and receiving the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program; and
B. Separate special education class, separate school or residential facility.

14. OSEP Preschool Data Reporting Requirement
Required to measure total amount of time children with disabilities are in a regular early childhood program (RECP)
Calculation includes the hours per week the child is in a regular early childhood program placement (as determined by the IEP Team) AND the hours per week that the parent has enrolled their child in a regular early childhood program
Calculation is based on the time during a week
In the next webinar, the terminology found in Indicator 6 are clearly defined. In this webinar, I will discuss the key concepts.
Part A of Indicator 6 is the percent of children attending a regular early childhood program and receiving the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program.
To make this determination, OSEP requires states to report on the time children with disabilities aged 3-Five are attending a regular early childhood program. In Virginia, this will be indicated by noting whether a child attends a regular early childhood environment at least 10 hours per week or less than 10 hours per week. The time in a regular early childhood environment is to include BOTH the hours per week the child is in a regular early childhood program placement, as determined by the IEP Team, AND the hours per week that the parent has enrolled their child in a regular early childhood program.
Further, this calculation is based on the time during a typical week. Preschoolers schedules may vary from day to day, therefore, the time in a regular early childhood program is calculated based on what the child typically does across a week. Again, in Virginia, this will be indicated by noting whether a child attends a regular early childhood environment at least 10 hours per week or less than 10 hours per week.

15. OSEP Preschool Data Reporting Requirement
A. Required to report the percent of children receiving the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program
For those children who attend a regular early childhood program, including the hours per week the child is in a regular early childhood program placement AND the hours per week that the parent has enrolled their child in a regular early childhood program, OSEP also requires states to report the percent of children who receive the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program.
To reiterate, Part A of Indicator 6 requires reporting the percent of children aged three - five with IEPs attending a regular early childhood program and receiving the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program.

16. OSEP Preschool Data Reporting Requirement
B. Required to report the percent of children attending a separate special education class, separate school or residential facility
Part B of Indicator 6 requires reporting the percent of children attending a separate special education class, separate school or residential facility. If the child attends a special education program, then the type of program is to be indicated. Again the choices are separate special education class, separate school, or residential facility.

17. Indicator 6 – Federal Report
Measurement:
A. Percent = [(number of children aged three-five with IEPs attending a regular early childhood program and receiving the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program) divided by the (total number of children aged three-five with IEPs)] times 100.
B. Percent = [(number of children aged three-five with IEPs attending a separate special education class, separate school or residential facility) divided by the (total # of children aged three-five with IEPs)] times 100.
On this slide you can see the formula used to determine the percentages in Indicator 6 Part A and Part B.

18. How is Indicator 6 Collected?
December 1 Special Education Child Count Collection
The December Child Count collects information required to meet federal reporting requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and information required for certain elements of the Standards of Quality (SOQ) state funding calculation
How is Indicator 6 collected from each school division? Indicator 6 is collected - the December 1 Special Education Child Count Collection.
The December Child Count collects information required to meet federal reporting requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and information required for certain elements of the Standards of Quality (SOQ) state funding calculation.

19. December 1 Child Count
Individual student records must be submitted for the following:
Full-time and part-time students served in the division for each student with an active IEP on December 1 of the current school year
Students placed in other divisions
Students placed in private schools (day or residential)
Students placed in regional centers
Students receiving special education services in local or regional jails
Preschool age students served in community based programs
Local educational agencies must submit individual records for the following:
Full-time and part-time students served in the division for each student with an active IEP on December 1 of the current school year,
Students placed in other divisions,
Students placed in private schools (day or residential),
Students placed in regional centers,
Students receiving special education services in local or regional jails, and
Preschool age students served in community based programs.

20. Updating
The preschool educational environment data is to be updated prior to the December 1 Special Education Child Count
It is up to the LEA to determine when and how to collect and/or update the educational environment
Suggestions for updating the educational environment data include the following instances:
When an IEP is written
When an IEP is amended
Any time a team member becomes aware that a change has occurred that does not involve a change in the child’s IEP placement (e.g., a child no longer attends an after school program)
Local educational agencies are to ensure the student’s data is correct prior to the December 1 Special Education Child Count. Therefore, preschool educational environment data is to be updated as needed.
It is up to the LEA to determine when and how to collect and/or update the educational environment.
Suggestions for updating the educational environment data include the following instances:
When an IEP is written,
When an IEP is amended, and
Any time a team member becomes aware that a change has occurred that does not involve a change in the child’s IEP placement. For example, when a child no longer attends an after school program and does not attend a regular early childhood program.

21. Conclusion Indicator 6: Early Childhood Special Education Settings
This is the conclusion of the first webinar in this series. To reiterate, Indicator 6 is the percent of children aged 3 - Five with IEPs attending a:
A. Regular early childhood program and receiving the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program; and
Separate special education class, separate school or residential facility.
In Virginia, data is collected for children ages birth - Five. Indicator 6 is collected - the December 1 Special Education Child Count.
For more information on Indicator 6, please view the other webinars in this series.