Goal of session: to generate ideas and plans for creating high quality inclusion First: share a challenge to preschool inclusion

 § LRE requirements. (ii) Special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.  § Supplementary aids and services. Supplementary aids and services means aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular education classes, other education-related settings, and in extracurricular and nonacademic settings, to enable children with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate  § Technical assistance and training activities. Each SEA must carry out activities to ensure that teachers and administrators in all public agencies— (a) Are fully informed about their responsibilities for implementing § ; and (b) Are provided with technical assistance and training necessary to assist them in this effort.

 High quality inclusion benefits all children with and without disabilities  Children with disabilities can be effectively educated in inclusive programs using specialized instruction  Children with disabilities do not need to be “ready”

 Families of children with and without disabilities generally have positive views of inclusion  Inclusion is not more expensive

 Successful inclusion requires intentional and effective collaboration and teaming  High quality inclusive preschool = high quality early childhood program

 DEC/NAEYC (2009) joint position statement supports inclusion:  Access  Participation  Supports

In 27 years, the practice of providing special education and related services in regular early childhood settings to preschoolers with disabilities has increased only 5.7% and many young children with disabilities continue to be educated in separate settings.

Increased only 5.7%

 Research is clear: it’s effective  IDEA is clear: it’s preferred  The profession is clear: it’s the right thing to do  Rates of inclusion have not increased by enough; most children with disabilities are not being fully included.

 Anything about these facts surprise you ?  Implications for your program?

This survey focused on the following overarching research question: Are there challenges impacting the inclusion of young children with disabilities and, if so, what are the challenges and possible solutions?

Preschool Inclusion is when children (age 3 – 5) with Individual Education Programs (IEP) receive their special education and related services in settings with at least 50% of peers without IEPs.

238 people responded to the survey. This included representation from 32 states and 1 territory.

RolesN% School District Special Education Preschool Coordinator or Child Find Coordinator % School District Special Education Director4920.6% School District Early Childhood Administrator3816.0% State Section 619/IDEA Preschool Coordinator3514.7% Head Start Administrator2410.1% ECSE/Sped Teacher/Consultant177.1% State Special Education Director104.2% School Principal72.9% School Psychologist31.3%

ChallengeN% Attitudes & Beliefs % Fiscal & contracting % Approval of non-public school setting % Transportation % Differing Curricula % Personnel % Program Quality % Conflicting policies 239.7%

 Challenges and solutions have changed very little  Major change = attitude and belief challenges moved from being the second highest rated category of challenges to the highest rated

Challenge1993 Rank2014 Rank Attitudes & Beliefs 21 Fiscal & contracting 32 Approval of non-public school setting 53 Transportation 74 Differing Curricula 85 Personnel 16 Program Quality 47 Conflicting policies 68

Challenge1993 Rank2014 Rank Attitudes & Beliefs 21 Fiscal & contracting 32 Approval of non-public school setting 53 Transportation 74 Differing Curricula 85 Personnel 16 Program Quality 47 Conflicting policies 68

ChallengeN% Lack of communication/collaboration Concerns someone will lose out Concerns related to preparedness Awareness of the benefits of inclusion Turf Lack of respect Other 20.9

Most identified as local, then state, then federal 3 top categories of policy challenges: 1.Fiscal Policies (contracting; $ streams) 2.Approval of non public school programs as sites for special education and related services to be delivered to young children with IEPs 3.Transportation Policies

 Community programs full; no available slots  Lack of resources for transportation for typical kids  Lack of resources for itinerate services

Solutions!

1.Collaboration 2.Building awareness and support 3.Policies and procedures 4.Resources

Establish interagency inclusion team Provide shared awareness opportunities for local administrators Provide joint PD for district EC, ECSE, and community personnel Ensure support to community programs for ECSE and behavior support Build culture of collaborative problem solving

Educate local administrators, families, providers Provide easy to read materials on benefits/laws for preschool inclusion Provide models of high quality inclusion for people to visit Provide opportunities for practitioners, administrators and families to explore concerns, benefits and possible solutions Arrange meetings with teachers, parents and administrators involved in successful inclusion

Create MOU’s and contracts with community programs that address quality Require co-teaching (EC & ECSE) practica for certification Provide training and coaching to community programs Provide or reimburse for transportation that supports inclusion Provide itinerate special education and related services in inclusive settings

Braiding funding streams (pre-k, IDEA, Title I, etc.) Collaboration (e.g. share resources, PD) Redistribution (itinerate/consultative vs. segregated) Public awareness of the benefits=$$ Literature indicates inclusive services do not cost more than segregated

Help public school programs to be inclusive: Create models, examples and incentives for local solutions: e.g. tuition based access to district EC programs for nondisabled children from community; model MOU’s with community programs Ensure pre-k, Title I programs are inclusive Reimbursement for parents for transportation Create a state-level inclusion team for “barrier busting” that responds to local concerns State training and dissemination to districts of creative ways to provide inclusion; examples; incentives

1.Think: about topic/challenge 2.Write: one or two strategies for addressing that challenge What are the implications for you……... Report out to large group.

 DEC  ECTA Center  NPDCI