Supporting Diverse Learners Across the Commonwealth’s Mixed Delivery System Early Childhood Special Education Update Board Presentation April 12, 2011

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Supporting Diverse Learners &Early Childhood Special Education

Update on EEC activities related to Supporting Diverse Learners and Early Childhood Special Education

Panel: Perspectives from the field Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education Public School

Topics for Future Discussion

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Supporting Diverse Learners &Early Childhood Special Education

Topics for Future Discussion Consideration of funding strategies that provide increased

access and opportunity for early learning experiences in inclusive environments for young children with diverse learning needs, disabilities, developmental delays or are educationally at-risk.

Broadening definition and reach of funds so that “supports and interventions are available as early as possible” to improved developmental outcomes and long term educational gains

Strategies for increasing access to inclusive quality settings Enhanced strategies for addressing children’s diverse learning

needs for children birth to age 16.

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EEC’s System of Support Supporting Diverse Learners, Building Skills Knowledge and Abilities in the Workforce & Early Childhood Special Education

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Diverse Learners - Children who have special physical, emotional, behavioral, cognitive or linguistic needs or whose primary learning modality is visual, auditory, tactile or kinesthetic, who may require an adaptation

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“To assure every child a fair and full opportunity to reach his full potential by providing and encouraging services which maximize a child’s capacity and opportunity to learn, which strengthen family life, and which support families in their essential function of nurturing a child’s physical, social, educational, moral, and spiritual development.”

EEC’s Strategic Linkages to Supports for Diverse Learners

EEC’s Related Indicators of Success All families experience seamless transitions throughout their child’s

early learning and developmental experiences. Families have access to high quality supports and resources for

transitioning children in and out of early education and care programs and services.

Early education and care services are delivered through a seamless system that is responsive to the needs of all families and provides supports and resources for transitioning children in and out of early education and care programs and services.

Family services are integrated and delivered in a coordinated manner across state agencies.

The early education and care workforce functions collaboratively and effectively among all aspects of the early education and care system.

EEC has developed active relationships with other state agencies, community partners, public schools and other stakeholder organizations to meet its mission.

7Linkages to EEC’s Strategic Plan

Supporting Regional and Community CollaborationsInteragency Collaboration, Technical Assistance & Professional Development

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EEC Family and Community Engagement & Program Monitoring Activities

Collaboration with the Regional Consultation Project Directors

Early Childhood Special Education Support and Technical Assistance

Coordinated Family and Community Engagement Grant Support

9Creating a workforce system

The Regional Consultative Programs (RCPs)

The Regional Consultative Programs (RCPs) provide technical assistance and support on special education transition and the inclusion of 3-5 year olds with disabilities in pre-school settings.

The RCPs are located regionally, and are available to assist and consult with families, public schools, early invention, and early education and care programs.

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Boston RegionThom Boston Metro EIJamaica Plain

Northeast RegionProfessional Center for Child Development Andover

Central RegionCriterion Child EnrichmentGardner

Western RegionThom Springfield Infant Toddler Services Springfield

MetroWest Region South Shore Mental Health Quincy

Southeast Region Schwartz Center for Children Dartmouth

Building the Internal Infrastructure to Support Achieving the Vision

Community of Practice Communities of Practice offers a team-based

approach to enhancing and sustaining inclusive services, family leadership skills, and integrated service delivery model in an effort to strengthen collaborations and share resources and ideas as they relate to supporting children and families.

Three (3) Communities of Practice meetings are held each year in each region (15 sessions) that bring together colleagues from Early Intervention, Public Schools and Early Education and Care Programs in partnership with the RCPs to create inclusive communities for young children with disabilities and their families.

11Creating a workforce system

Community of Practices Regional Meetings

Topics have included: Supporting Children at Risk for Challenging Behaviors Supporting Children and Parents Through Multiple

TransitionsThis year 197 educators attended Special Quest session in Oct. 245 participants attended Supporting Dual Language

Learners in Feb. Understanding Services for Children and Youth with

Special Heath Care Needs (May 2011)

12Creating a workforce system

Early Childhood Special Education Public School Program Visits

Visit Focus Visit Focus #1

Early Childhood Special Education Indicators

Visit Focus #2 District Approaches to Working with Community Based Programs and Supporting Family Engagement

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EEC and the Regional Consultation Programs will conduct 97 visits in 351 school districts across the state.

10 visits are in Level 4 schools

Building the Internal Infrastructure to Support Achieving the Vision

EEC Educator & Provider Support Professional Development Opportunities

SpecialQuest Approach An approach that supports inclusive early childhood services for

children from birth to five and their families The Massachusetts Special Quest team is hosting 2 full day

sessions with mentoring for 30 early childhood, family childcare, early intervention, public school preschool and out of school time programs.

Battelle Developmental Inventory A developmental assessment tool for diagnosis, eligibility and

determination of services and for planning curriculum to inform instruction

363 educators from across the mixed delivery system attended fall sessions and 80 participants are anticipated for the upcoming sessions this spring.

14Creating a workforce system

Professional Development OpportunitiesSummer Institute: Foundations of the CSEFEL Pyramid Model course(Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning)

Over 800 educators have been engaged in the 45 CFESEL training that have been occurring across the state Oct 2010 – June 2011.

Focuses on promoting the social and emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age five

Helps to prevent emotional disruption Addresses challenging behavior Increases the size of the workforce skilled in promoting children’s social and emotional

development

15Creating a workforce system

Professional Development Opportunities

Transition Webinars Promotes further collaboration between Early Intervention

Providers and their LEAs as well as the mixed delivery system

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Over 55 participants representing Part B (Early Childhood Special Education-Public School), Part C (Early Intervention), Head Start and other early education programs were registered. Several programs also participated in the webinar as teams.

Creating a workforce system

Head Start

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Concerning Early Childhood Programs

History Work group reconvened to review and update existing IA to align with current programmatic mandates, regulations, best practice and research on early childhood transitions (January 2006)

Broad representation including stakeholders from both the public and private sector (DEEC, DESE, EOHHS, MDPH, DHHS, ACF, Office of Head Start, & Migrant Head Start)

Focus of Current Interagency Agreement (Formerly the 1994 Interagency Agreement (IA) on Early Childhood on Transitions) Emphasis on children transitioning from Part C to Part B Services Timeline and requirements Limited recognition and support for cross system collaboration

Focus of MOU (Pending) Emphasizes transition as a natural occurrence for children and families of

all abilities Recognizes the multiple facets of transition and considerations for the

whole child and family Provides a framework for state-level coordination Emphasizes importance of developing local agreements Meets the requirements IDEA Parts B and C, and the Office of Head State

Best Practices in Early Childhood Transition Best Practices in Early Childhood Transition Continuing the Journey is a guide for families that provides additional information about the transition process for children with disabilities and/or developmental delays. • Offers information about childrendevelopmental tasks from ages two to five• Information and Resources and programs to support families after Early Intervention• Transition Packet Checklist to track transition planning• A guide for families when visiting new programs and helping children plan for changes • Additional resources and contact information for Massachusetts programs available to children during transitions

18Create Communications Structure

This guide is the result of a collaborative effort between the Departments of Early Education and Care, Public Health, and Elementary and Secondary Education.

http://www.mass.gov/Eoedu/docs/EEC/programs_licensing/special_needs/transition_guide.pdf

Financial Assistance: Supporting Diverse Learners & Early Childhood Special Education

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Income Eligible Financial AssistanceEligibility: Family Income Entry (up to 85% SMI; Exit at

100% SMI) Approved Verification of Special Need and

related documents, documentation of family income, eligibility is re-assessed at least every 12 months.

Funding Source: Child Care Development Fund (CCDF),

federal block grant for low-income, working families in Massachusetts

Parent Fees: Sliding Scale (i.e. 85% SMI, family of Two

$56,968/ Cost: $145/wk)

Funding: Subject to the availability of funding and

budgetary constraints.

A child with a documented disability/special need (birth to age 16) may be eligible to receive financial assistance to access to early education and care/ Out of School Time care.

$1.8 M for Children with Special Needs in FY 10

Increase and Promote Family Support, Access and Affordability

Financial Assistance Special Needs Flex Pool Eligibility: Contracted programs seeking funding to servechildren must have documented physical, mental,or behavioral disabilities that have prohibited orwill prohibit the child from participating in theprogram. Requests with appropriatedocumentation are approved on a case by case basis, for up to a 6 month period.Funds may be used to: support training for program staff consultation to identify necessary supports for

the child technical assistance in meeting the individual

needs of the child enhanced staffing to effectively include the

child in the program, or specialized equipmentFunding: Subject to the availability of funding and budgetary

constraints.

Flexible Pool EEC may provide funding through to assist families in accessing Income Eligible Child Care when they have continuity of care needs, and/or special transportation or service needs

Approximately 100 children were receiving flex pool funds from EEC in Cost: $1,167,212) FY 2010.

$11,556 is the average cost per child per year for 1:1 aide

Increase and Promote Family Support, Access and Affordability

In FY11 96 grantees received $9M in IE state funds to support direct service activities. Renewal grants available to 97 public schools districts and lead agencies to support opportunities for preschoolers with disabilities in inclusive settings with children without disabilities. Funds support direct services and are typically used for educator salaries and children's transportation.

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Inclusive Preschool Learning Environments (Fund Code 391)

96 grantees reported serving a total of 6002 children in inclusive settings during the 2009-2010 SY

2209 children with IEPs 3793 without disabilities. 73% of the grantees indicated that one or more of their

inclusive programs is NAEYC accredited

Increase and Promote Family Support, Access and Affordability

Early Childhood Special Education Grants IDEA Federal Entitlement Grant for 3-5 Year Olds EEC administers two entitlement grants offered to 310 LEAs and charter

schools to support public preschool serving children 3, 4, and 5 year olds with disabilities through EEC’s Special Education Consolidated package. The Early Childhood Special Education Allocation $7.3M(FY11 IDEA 262) Early Childhood Special Education

$10.2 M (FY10/FY11 IDEA/ARRA 762)• Funding supports activities as outlined through the SPP/APR for IDEA -

Part B Early Childhood Special Education indicators 6, 7,and 12. • Grants administered by EEC through an ISA with ESE

23Increase and Promote Family Support, Access and Affordability

The Early Childhood Special Education Allocation (IDEA 262)

24Increase and Promote Family Support, Access and Affordability

Currently, 263 school districts and charter school provide early childhood special education services and related services to 14,854 children through $7.3M federal entitlement funds Districts reported that during

SY 2009 -2010 children received IEP services in the following setting:

81 Home 162 FCC 175 ECE programs 264 Other 412 Head Start3242 Public Schools

IDEA PART B - 619 Indicator 6: Free Appropriate Public Education in the Least Restrictive Environment

Indicator 7: Preschool Outcomes Percent of preschool children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs who demonstrate improved

Indicator 12: Part C to B Transition Early Intervention to Pubic School Special Education Services

Perspectives from Community Partners Supporting Diverse Learners & Early Childhood Special Education

Early Intervention and Public SchoolsZulmira Allcock Associates for Human Services-Taunton Early Intervention Program and Taunton Public School.

Judy Goodwin Springfield Public Schools Special Education Early Childhood Coordinator

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Related Data Elements Supporting Diverse Learners & Early Childhood Special Education

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Number of Children Age 3-5 Statewide with Individual Education Plans (IEPs)

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As of October 1

Retrieved March 15, 2011http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/reports/enroll/default.html?yr=sped1011

Communities serving the larges population of children ages 3, 4 and 4 years with IEPS

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SY 2010-2011

14,882 Children 3-5 with IEPs

27,747 children enrolled in Public School Preschools

Retrieved March 15, 2011http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/reports/enroll/default.html?yr=sped1011