Transcript Inclusive Early Care and Education Policy Forum Sponsored

Spreading the Good Word -- Input from
Multiple Stakeholders on Increasing High
Quality Preschool Inclusion Opportunities
OSEP National Early Childhood
Conference - February 2005
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Inclusive Early Care and Education
Policy Forum
Sponsored by the Childcare Bureau and
Administration on Developmental Disabilities
May 15-16, 2004
Jennifer Johnson, Ed.D.
Administration on Developmental Disabilities
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
[email protected]
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Conference - February 2005
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Administration for Children and Families
Overview:
Primary agency responsible for federal programs that promote the
economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and
communities
Programs aim to achieve the following:
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Families and individuals empowered to increase their own economic
independence and productivity;
Strong, healthy, supportive children communities that have a positive
impact on the quality of life and the development of;
Partnerships with individuals, front-line service providers,
communities, American Indian tribes, Native communities, states, and
Congress that enable solutions which transcend traditional agency
boundaries; and
Services planned, reformed, and integrated to improve needed
access.
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Conference - February 2005
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ACF also has a strong commitment to:
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Working with people with developmental disabilities, refugees,
and migrants to address their needs, strengths, and abilities
and
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Collaborating across agencies to achieve program outcomes
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Conference - February 2005
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Organizational Structure of ACF
Administration for
Children and Families
Administration
Developmental
Disabilities
Child Care Bureau
OSEP National Early Childhood
Conference - February 2005
Head Start
Bureau
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Overview of the
Inclusive Early Care and Education Policy Forum
in March 2004
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Development of the Policy Forum
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Issues relevant to respective agencies
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Overview of the
Inclusive Early Care and Education Policy Forum
in March 2004
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Goals of the Forum:
 To explore and address the inclusion of children with disabilities
in early care and education settings
 To discuss supporting the needs of all families in accessing and
comfortably relying on early care and education.
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Key issues discussed:
 Increasing access to and retention in early care and education
settings;
 Creating early childhood environments that foster full
participation for all children;
 Creating effective training and technical assistance systems;
 Leveraging funding sources; and
 Increasing collaboration across programs and services.
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Participants
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Parents
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Researchers
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State 619 coordinators
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Part C coordinators
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State Child Care Administrators
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Representatives of ADD Programs – DD State Councils and UCEDDs
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Representatives from national organizations – e.g., DEC, Easter Seals,
Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies
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Representatives of federal agencies/bureaus – e.g., OSEP, Head Start
Bureau
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Agenda
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Opening remarks and participant introductions
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Opening Plenary
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State Administrator’s panel
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Research presentations
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Small group topical discussions
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Policies and strategies that support training and technical
assistance, and
Policies and strategies that support funding for inclusion.
Large group discussion of next steps
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Conference - February 2005
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State Administrators Panel
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Nancy Guy – State Child Care Administrator, North Carolina
Department of Human Resources, Division of Child Development
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Rosanne Griff-Cabelli – Part C Coordinator, Division of Management
Services, Delaware Division of Health and Social Services
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Russell Hoyt – Section 619 Coordinator, Early Learning Services,
Massachusetts Department of Education
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Research Presentations
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Robin McWilliam (Vanderbilt University) – facilitating inclusion in the
classroom
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Mary Louise Hemmeter (University of Illinois) – positive behavioral
supports
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Mary Beth Bruder (University of Connecticut) – historical perspective
of inclusion
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Suggestions for Next Steps
Primary reaction centered on implementation – how to create
inclusive systems at the State and local level.
From there, three main categories emerged:
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Comprehensive, cross-system approaches to early childhood
inclusion
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Workforce development: early care and education as a
profession, and
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Accountability for inclusion initiatives
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High Quality Inclusion Opportunities for
Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities
Policy Forum
December 13-15, 2004
Joy Markowitz
Director, Project Forum
National Association of State Directors of Special Education
(NASDSE)
[email protected]
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Conference - February 2005
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Project Forum
Overview
 Cooperative Agreement with OSEP
Funded through September 30, 2005
Purposes:
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To facilitate communication between the U.S. Department of
Education and state and local administrators of Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); and
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To synthesize national program information that will improve the
management, administration, delivery, and effectiveness of
programs and services provided under IDEA.
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Each year Project Forum does the following:
1.
Collaborates with the Regional Resource Centers to maintain the
National State Policy Database.
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Compiles three research or policy syntheses.
3.
Writes two synthesis briefs (less than 10 pages).
4.
Convenes two policy forums and writes proceedings.
5.
Conducts twelve Quick-Turn-Around (QTA) activities.
6.
Disseminates documents described above.
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Purpose of the Policy Forum in December 2004
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Continue dialogue among stakeholders about increasing high quality
inclusion opportunities for preschool-age children with disabilities
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Generate options for resources and strategies that will promote high
quality inclusion opportunities
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Objectives of Policy Forum
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Create and strengthen linkages among federal, state and local
policymakers, national organizations, researchers and practitioners
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Review available research on practices and policies that facilitate
inclusion opportunities
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Raise awareness among stakeholders about activities at national,
state and local levels that promote inclusion opportunities
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Describe policy, practice and research barriers to inclusion
opportunities
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Generate suggestions for next steps at national, state and local
levels to promote inclusion opportunities
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Participants
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Local preschool providers
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Parents
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Researchers
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State 619 coordinators
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Technical assistance providers
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Representatives from national organizations – e.g., DEC, NAEYC,
NAECS, Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies
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Representatives of federal agencies/bureaus – e.g., OSEP, OESE,
Child Care Bureau, Head Start Bureau, ACF
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Agenda
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Opening remarks and participant introductions
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Research panel
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Overview of Child Care Bureau and Administration on
Developmental Disabilities Forum on Inclusion held March 2004
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Panels from Wyoming and Kentucky
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Large group reaction to panels
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Small group discussion of next steps
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Research Panel
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Joan Lieber (University of Maryland) – Inclusion Research & Results
from ECRII
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Virginia Buysee (University of North Carolina) – Cost, Quality and
Outcomes of Preschool Inclusion
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Susan Sandall (University of Washington) – Building Blocks for
Including and Teaching Preschoolers with Special Needs
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Robin McWillilam (Vanderbilt University) – Child Level Findings and
Engagement
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Suggestions for Next Steps
Categories
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Awareness/public relations
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Data collection/analysis
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Financing strategies
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Monitoring/accountability
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Policy
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Professional development
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Research
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Technical assistance and dissemination
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Communities of Practice –
An OSEP TA Initiative and
Opportunity for Collaboration
Shelly deFosset
Associate Director
Partner & Family Collaboration Unit
National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
(NECTAC)
[email protected]
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Preschool LRE Community
The goal is to form and support a Community where interested
individuals can come together to address issues of common interest
and need regarding the inclusion of young children and their families in
their communities.
Part C Settings Community
This community is interacting around the many issues, concerns,
successes, examples of practice, research, training and materials all
related to enhancing services in natural environments for young
children and their families.
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Future Activities
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Ongoing resource sharing
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Practice Groups around issues of identified concerns
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National Inclusion Institute August 2005
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