1. 1 Inclusion Standards in Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) …experiences in Delaware OSEP National Early Childhood Conference Arlington, Virginia Tuesday, December 8, 2009

2. 2 Delaware Stars For Early Success Families of young children with disabilities Inclusion Quality Rating Scale

3. 3  Delaware Early Care and Education Baseline Quality Study (September 2002)  Natural environments ~ targets and improvements ~  Parent stories  Building capacity in natural environments committee ICC

4. 4  Expanding Opportunities Technical Assistance Grant for Part C, Part B(619),Head Start, and child care  Birth to 5 focus across DHSS and DOE professional development public awareness materials policies and procedures  Morphed into EIEIO EIEIO

5. 5  Unified plan for early childhood services: Early Success: Delaware’s Early Childhood Plan  Membership – broad early childhood stakeholders  State statute to gain authority (2007) HB126 with help from Children’s Caucus  Delaware Stars reported back to DECC  EIEIO is now a formal committee of ICC and DECC DECC

6. 6 Delaware Stars For Early Success Hounding and Persistence Quality and Inclusion Early Childhood Stakeholders Unified Results:

7. 7 There is still more work to be done! Delaware Stars is not fully implemented (150 sites out of a potential 2000) Environmental Ratings Scale only applies if you have already enrolled children with disabilities Delaware Stars does not yet look at quality of inclusive practices

8. 8 Qualifications and Professional Development for Administrators  2 Star Standard Shows evidence of having completed education/training in Inclusion Best Practice (at least 3 hours) [Supports] Qualifications and Professional Development for Teachers and Assistant Teachers  2 Star Standard Shows evidence of having completed education/training in Inclusion Best Practice (at least 3 hours) [Supports] Delaware QRIS Inclusion Standards

9. 9 Learning Environments and Curriculum  3 Star Standard Program documents activities/instruction that help to support goals in a child’s IEP/IFSP [Access and Participation] Delaware QRIS Inclusion Standards (continued)

10. 10 Delaware QRIS Inclusion Standards (continued)  2 Star Standard Program has a written inclusion policy that is reviewed with staff and shared with families [Support]  3 Star Standard Program requests copies of a child’s IEP/IFSP, assessment results, and other pertinent written information from families [Participation]  4 Star Standard Program involves families in planning to meet the needs of their child(ren), including IFSP/IEP goals [Participation]  5 Star Standard When applicable, program makes staff available to attend IEP-IFSP meetings to participate in planning efforts with family and service providers [Support] Family and Community Partnerships

11. 11 for more information please contact: Rosanne Griff-Cabelli Part C Coordinator Birth To Three Early Intervention System rosanne.griff-cabelli@state.de.us 302-255-9135 Jim J. Lesko Education Associate Early Childhood Education jlesko@doe.k12.de.us 302-735-4210