Transcript Nancy Vorobey, Preschool 619 Coordinator Maryland State Department of Education

Nancy Vorobey, Preschool 619 Coordinator
Valerie von Behren, Preschool 619 Monitor and TA Specialist
Maryland State Department of Education
Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services
There’s no place like home, there’s no place
like home…
Western Maryland has mountain ranges 2827 feet above sea level and
the Eastern shore has Ocean City and Assateaque Island complete with
wild horses…
Southern Maryland is home to the 2nd largest
population of bald eagles, scenic waterways and
islands, and was settled in 1634 by 140 colonists
Central Maryland is more urban such as
Baltimore City and the suburbs of
Washington, DC
Maryland’s Demographics as of 2007
• Population 5,615,727
• White 61%, African American 28.9%, Asian 4.9%,
Hispanic 6.0%
• Median household income 65,000
• Families below poverty 5.3%
• 17.8% High School Diploma, 12.8% Bachelor’s, 10.8%
Graduate Degree or higher
• 13.9% of families speak a language other than English at
home
• 2008 pre-k enrollment 27,179
• 2008 Kindergarten enrollment 59,455
Maryland’s Organization
The Maryland State Department of Education is home
to:
• The Division of Early Childhood Development which
includes the Office of Child Care, Head Start and
Early Childhood General Education
• Division of Special Education/Early Intervention
Services, which includes the Maryland Infant’s and
Toddlers Program and Preschool Special Education
Services in the Early Childhood Intervention and
Education Branch
Maryland’s Preschool LRE
Initiatives
What happened then was rich!
Dedicated funding of $440,000.00
from “Big B”
• Analyzed three years
worth of Preschool LRE
data
• Shared anecdotal
successes from the
Preschool LRE
teleconference
• Made our pitch to the
Assistant Superintendent
and she granted us the
funding!
The primary objective of the
Statewide Preschool LRE
Initiative is to get home!
• to promote and support a comprehensive, familycentered, driven technical assistance system for all
young preschool children, their families and
communities. This initiative will offer opportunities
for personal and professional growth and systems’
development in collaboration with families, schools
and other community stakeholders to include
preschool children with disabilities in typical early
childhood settings.
Preschool LRE Initiative has two
components
1. Funding for projects
to improve the
continuum of settings
for preschool SWD
with emphasis on
collaboration with
families and
community partners
Follow the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road!
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Establishing teams to go to
community programs and provide
coaching, co-teaching, infused
related services
SEFEL and behavior specialists
Differentiated instruction, adapted
curriculum, including community
partners and families in training and
TA
Partnerships with Judy Centers, Head
Start, Child Care Centers, Libraries,
Parks and Recreation programs
Reverse mainstreaming, assistive
technology
Language enrichment programming
Families involved in programs and
support activities
Regional TA Centers
To build a framework of
regional technical
assistance to sustain the
improvements
But you’ve always had the power
to go home!
• Each of the Regional TA
Centers will be
providing coaching,
observation to other
local systems
• Menu of statewide TA
• 4 presentations at the
statewide Head Start
Conference
If I Only Had a Brain
The Preschool LRE Decision Making Module
An online tutorial is being developed to increase the knowledge and skills of
LSS preschool special education and early learning staff, community early
childhood partners and families to improve preschool LRE decision making
and expand options for the LRE continuum through our Maryland State
Improvement Grant.
In Maryland, we’re trying very hard to overcome
the Wicked Witch of the West…
And include to the maximum extent possible, preschool students with
disabilities with their typically developing peers in their own communities
because there really is NO PLACE LIKE HOME!
Thank you.
Special Thanks to
wendyswizardofoz.com
The Lullaby League
• Valerie von Behren
410-767-7800
[email protected]
• Nancy Vorobey
410-767-0234
[email protected]