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Supporting Diverse Learners Across the Commonwealth’s Mixed Delivery System

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

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Supporting Diverse Learners Across the Commonwealth’s Mixed Delivery System

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

  2. 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

  3. 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.

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

  5. EEC’s Strategic Linkages to Supports for Diverse Learners “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.”

  6. 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 andprovides supports and resources for transitioning children in and out of early education and care programs and services. • Family services are integratedand 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. Linkages to EEC’s Strategic Plan

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

  8. 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 Creating a workforce system

  9. 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.  Boston Region Thom Boston Metro EI Jamaica Plain Northeast Region Professional Center for Child Development Andover Central Region Criterion Child Enrichment Gardner Western Region Thom Springfield Infant Toddler Services Springfield MetroWestRegion South Shore Mental Health Quincy Southeast Region Schwartz Center for Children Dartmouth Building the Internal Infrastructure to Support Achieving the Vision

  10. Community of Practice • Communities of Practiceoffers 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 RCPsto create inclusive communities for young children with disabilities and their families.  Creating a workforce system

  11. Community of Practices Regional Meetings Topics have included: • Supporting Children at Risk for Challenging Behaviors • Supporting Children and Parents Through Multiple Transitions This 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) Creating a workforce system

  12. 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 • 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

  13. 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. Creating a workforce system

  14. Professional Development Opportunities Summer 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 Creating a workforce system

  15. Professional Development Opportunities Transition Webinars • Promotes further collaboration between Early Intervention Providers and their LEAs as well as the mixed delivery system • 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 16

  16. 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 Head Start

  17. 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 children developmental 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 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 Create Communications Structure

  18. Financial Assistance: Supporting Diverse Learners & Early Childhood Special Education

  19. Income Eligible Financial Assistance Eligibility: 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

  20. Financial Assistance Special Needs Flex Pool Eligibility: Contracted programs seeking funding to serve children must have documented physical, mental, or behavioral disabilities that have prohibited or will prohibit the child from participating in the program. Requests with appropriate documentation 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 equipment Funding: 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

  21. Inclusive Preschool Learning Environments (Fund Code 391) 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. • 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

  22. 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 Increase and Promote Family Support, Access and Affordability

  23. The Early Childhood Special Education Allocation (IDEA 262) Currently, 263 school districts and charter school provide early childhood special education services and related services to 14,854children through $7.3M federal entitlement funds 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 • 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 Start • 3242 Public Schools Increase and Promote Family Support, Access and Affordability

  24. Perspectives from Community Partners Supporting Diverse Learners & Early Childhood Special EducationEarly 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

  25. Related Data Elements SupportingDiverse Learners & Early Childhood Special Education

  26. Number of Children Age 3-5 Statewide with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) As of October 1 Retrieved March 15, 2011 http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/reports/enroll/default.html?yr=sped1011

  27. Communities serving the larges population of children ages 3, 4 and 4 years with IEPS • Boston 875 • Worcester 694 • Springfield 659 • New Bedford 370 • Lowell 229 • Brockton 207 • Taunton 204 • Fall River 197 • Newton 190 • Lawrence 180 • Quincy 167 • Waltham 159 • Framingham 157 • Lynn 151 • Plymouth 151 • Haverhill 144 • Weymouth 142 • Billerica 139 • Holyoke 138 • Chicopee 137 • Attleboro 127 • Leominster 127 • Malden 119 • Brookline 117 • Cambridge 114 • Marlborough 109 • Chelmsford 107 • Fitchburg 107 • Braintree 105 • Peabody 99 SY 2010-2011 14,882 Children 3-5 with IEPs 27,747 children enrolled in Public School Preschools Retrieved March 15, 2011 http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/reports/enroll/default.html?yr=sped1011

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