Transcript Preschool Options Project

Supported by DPI Preschool IDEA Discretionary Funds
Developing a Range of
Options in Your
Community
Preschool Options
 What?
 Why?
 How?
 Where?
IDEA: Legal Definition
Each public agency shall ensure that
a continuum of alternative
placements is available to meet the
needs of children with disabilities.
34 CFR 300.551
IDEA
In determining the educational
placement of a child with a disability
including a preschool child … the
placement decision is made by a
group knowledgeable about …
the placement options.
34 CFR 300.552 (a) (1)
IDEA
“The full continuum of alternative
placements at 34 CFR 300.551, including
integrated placement options, such as
community-based settings with typically
developing age peers, must be available
to preschool children with disabilities.”
34 CFR Part 300 Comments to IDEA Final Regulations
Seventh Circuit Decision
 District failed to comply with LRE
requirement.
 Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
applies to preschool.
DEC Policy
“Inclusion, as a value, supports the
right of all children, regardless of
abilities, to participate actively in
natural settings within their
communities. Natural settings are
those in which the child would spend
time had he or she not had a disability.”
Division for Early Childhood
www.dec-sped.org
It looks different for each child in
each community.
Home
“Instruction at home may be the most
natural environment for a young child
with a disability if the child’s IEP/IFSP
team so determines.”
34 CFR Part 300 Comments to IDEA Final
Regulations
Reporting Environments
Educational Environment for 3-5
year olds with disabilities
Reporting to DPI from LEA.
Preschool Environments
December 1999
Why?
Children with disabilities
benefit from inclusion:
Generalization of skills
Reduced need for intensive
services
Review of Research
Children with
disabilities in
inclusive
settings make
more social
skill gains.
Social skills
“Families realized that the children did
better than we all had expected in the
community placements and that they
were acting more like children than
special education students…”
Bruder, 2000
Review of Research
Gains in cognitive, language and
motor skills for children with
disabilities in inclusive settings are
comparable to those in selfcontained.
(Buysee & Bailey, 1993; Fewell & Oelwein, 1999, Jenkins, Odom, &
Speltz, 1985; Wolery & McWilliam, 1998).
Review of Research
Children from segregated preschool
settings are twice as likely to retain
special education eligibility and three
times more likely to receive services
in segregated settings.
Miller, L.J., Strain, P.S., McKinley, J., Heckathorn, K., &Miller,
S. (1993).
Review of Research
Early Childhood Research
Institute on Inclusion
www.fpg.unc.edu/~ecrii
Keys to Inclusion
www.nectas.unc.edu
Research From Wisconsin
Research Addressed issues:
IEP goals and objectives
Family involvement in
placement
Family Involvement
“Effective partnerships
between parents and
professionals require
collaboration. It is hard
work.”
J. Fialka
WSPEI
Wisconsin Statewide ParentEducator Initiative
http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/een/parent.
html
How?





Awareness and dissemination
Changing professional practice
Collaborative planning
Utilize research to address challenges
Individualizing services/expanding options
Individualizing Services
DPI Bulletin 00.09 questions IEP team
considers to determine service delivery:
 Where does the child usually spend the day?
 Can the goals and objectives be addressed in
age appropriate settings?
 If not, what other settings for service
delivery will meet the child’s
needs?
Quality
 A high quality program is a necessary
foundation of preschool inclusion
 However the program must ensure
that developmental needs of young
children with disabilities are met
Quality
 NAEYC National Accreditation
Cesa8.k12.wi.us
 Evaluation Tools
 Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale
 DEC Recommended Practices
Where?
Outcomes





Benefits for ALL children
Efficient use of resources
Shared responsibility
Collaborative professional development
Improved referral system
For more information
www.preschooloptions.org
It happens one child at a
time.