1. Collaborating for Success: Creating Inclusive Learning Environments in Preschools
Presented by:
Valerie Andrews, Paul Ohm & Eleanor Droegemeier
6th Annual Early Childhood Inclusion Institute
July 2006

2. Inclusion in Arizona

3. Data
Approximately 21,637 preschoolers are served in the state of Arizona

4. Data 11,169 typically developing preschoolers are served in Arizona
Early Childhood Block Grant
Family Literacy
Migrant Education
Community Education Programs
Tuition students

5. Data Approximately 12,956 special needs
preschoolers are served in Arizona
*FY06

6. Data Other Preschool Programs considered for LRE options are:
Head Start
Community Education Programs
Tuition students

7. LRE Statistics
Of Arizona’s 3-5 year olds 47% of were served in settings with typically developing peers
SPP Goal: 60% by 2010
*Data collection

8. Initiatives
Expanding Opportunities – Early Childhood Inclusion Coalition
National Individualizing Preschool Inclusion Project (NIPIP)

9. Initiatives
Count Me In Manual (specific to Arizona – companion to An Administrator’s Guide to Preschool Inclusion).
Partnership with Arizona Council of Exceptional Children – Division of Early Childhood (CEC-DEC)

10. Initiatives
Providing technical assistance to districts to combine programs and funds between Early Childhood Special Education, Early Childhood Block Grants, State Family Literacy & Migrant Education Even Start

11. Initiatives
Embedded questions in Preschool Grant Applications to collect LRE information from districts & increase awareness
Focused Monitoring
*Worksheet

12. Reaching Superintendents and School
Needs
Reaching Superintendents and School
Boards
To increase awareness of LRE and explain benefits
Obtain budget support for systems change

13. Barriers No Universal PK
State funding for programs for typically developing preschoolers has not increased for the past 5 years.
Number of preschoolers eligible for special education services has increased 33% since 2000.

14. Barriers
Arizona school construction funding formula does not allocate dollars for preschool classrooms for preschoolers.
Department of Health Services Licensure
FDK; extra support not recognized; DHS law increased # of SC classrooms to avoid allocating resources for licensing classrooms.

15. SUCCESS STORY ***Tucson Unified School District*** Eleanor Droegemeier
Paul Ohm
Eleanor Droegemeier