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Systematic State Approaches to Ensure Access to High Quality Early Learning Opportunities for

ALL Children and Families

Thursday, July 24, 2014 4:00 - 5:30

Opening

Conversation Facilitators

• Melissa Crist, IdahoSTARS

• Debi Mathias, BUILD Initiative

• Jennifer Miller, WestEd Center for Prevention and Early Intervention

• Kathy Whaley, Early Childhood

Technical Assistance Center

Kathy T. Whaley

www.ectacenter.org

Goals and Outline

• Provide an overview of policy and implementation issues related to inclusion and TQRIS/QRIS

• Provide an overview of selected approaches and strategies used by states

• Offer a system’s level perspective for conceptualizing this work

• Highlight strategies and resources developed and implemented by ID and CA

• Offer an opportunity to discuss

key issues and challenges

and share strategies

Goals and Outline

Thinking about State Systems

Child and Family

Local Programs

Professional Development and

Technical Assistance

State Level Agencies and Programs

Considerations for the Participation of IDEA Programs

• Are public school operated programs participating in the QRIS?

• How can we align and reconcile

existing program standards or

licensing exemption?

• Does the type of school operated program make a difference for participation?

Considerations for the Participation of IDEA Programs

• Are programs participating in QRIS including children with disabilities?

• Do we need specialized standards and indicators?

• Does the inclusion of children with disabilities impact indicators

and assessment results?

• How are measurement tools working in programs serving children with diverse needs and disabilities?

• Does the severity of disability

have an impact?

• Are practitioner standards and training adequate to prepare personnel to work with children with diverse needs and disabilities?

Considerations for the Participation of IDEA Programs

Strategies: Child and Family

• Children receive developmental screening after enrollment.

• Families are referred to early intervention and early childhood special education services with their consent.

• Program staff communicate with parents about children’s progress, special needs and share information on resources.

• Children receive special assistance and supports when appropriate.

• Children receive developmental screening after enrollment.

• Families are referred to early intervention and early childhood special education services with their consent.

• Parents receive updates regarding their child’s progress and special needs.

• Children receive special assistance and supports when appropriate.

Strategies: Child and Family

Strategies: Local Programs

• Program staff use individualized education plans (IEP) and individualized family service plans

(IFSP) for planning and classroom practices

• Programs are required to create and implement special plans for caring for children with special needs.

• Programs have written policies or procedures specific to the inclusion of children with special needs.

• Programs receive assistance if needed and are expected to make adaptations to serve children with special needs

Strategies: Professional Development and TA

• Provide training, technical assistance, coaching and

other resources to program staff.

• Develop and use online modules about inclusion, child development, working with children with special needs and challenging behavior.

• Develop specialized inclusion certificates and endorsements.

• Develop specialized competencies for program staff and consultants.

Strategies: State Programs, Agencies and Councils

• Creating crosswalks to examine, compare and align

different standards and indicators required by different accreditation systems such as NAEYC to the TQRIS.

• Provide incentives and supports for programs to serve children with disabilities (offering specialized training and TA resources and special designations and certificates of quality)

• QRIS quality standards offer special considerations for programs serving children with disabilities or at risk for disabilities

Professional Development & Technical Assistance

WestEd Center for Prevention & Early Intervention

Jennifer Miller, M.A.

California’s RTT-ELC

• Organizational Structure

oState Implementation Team

oParticipating State Agencies

o17 Regional Leadership Consortia (Consortia)

• Funding for ten state level projects, plus an evaluation

California’s Approach

• 17 Regional Leadership Consortia

• Each Consortia led by an established organization that was already operating or developing a TQRIS/QIS and allocating local resources to the efforts

• Nearly 1.9 million children or 70% of children under five in California are represented by the 16 counties

• 14 Additional Mentee Counties

Consortia and Mentee Counties

Original Consortia Mentee Counties

California’s Key Elements

• 5 Key Reform Areas

o Successful State Systems

o High Quality, Accountable Programs

o Promoting Early Learning Development

Outcomes for Children

o A Great Early Childhood Education Workforce

o Measuring Outcomes and Progress

• Hybrid Matrix

• Common Tools & Pathways

Part C/Part B 619 Activities

• Training & Technical Assistance

• Resource Development

• Meeting Facilitation & Support

Technical Assistance: Consortia Inclusion Plans

• Process/Framework

• Identified Needs and Priorities

• Guiding Elements

• Lessons Learned

Resource Development: Early Start Online Modules

• Development & Review Process

• Preliminary Data

• Lessons Learned

Resource Development: Early Start Online Modules

•

For More Information…

Jennifer Miller, WestEd Center for

Prevention & Early Intervention

jmiller@wested.org

916.492.4032

California’s RTT-ELC

www.cde.ca.gov

IdahoSTARS is a joint project between the University of Idaho's Center on Disabilities

and Human Development and the Idaho Association for the Education of Young

Children. The project is funded by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare through

the Child Care and Development Block Grant.

www.idahostars.org

IdahoSTARS Project

IdahoSTARS Project

IdahoSTARS offers:

• Professional Development for early care and education professionals

• Regional Consultation and Resource Support

• Child Care Health Consultation

• Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), Steps to Quality

www.idahostars.org

Step 1 Step 2

Step 3 Step 4

Step 5 Step 6

Steps to Quality Steps and Standards

Health and Safety Staffing and Professional Development Child Growth, Development and Learning Children with Diverse Abilities Strengthening Families and Communities Leadership and Management

Children with Diverse Abilities Quality Standard

“Including ALL children means including children with diverse needs and abilities, this includes children with disabilities and developmental delays, children with complex health care needs, children learning a second language, children with challenging behaviors, and children with mental health concerns. IdahoSTARS supports the right of every young child to have access to quality child care with the necessary supports to fully participate in the child care setting.”

–IdahoSTARS website

Quality Indicators

IdahoSTARS Child Inclusion Plan

• Plan completed with families

• Child strengths, needs and interests are identified

• Family members share information about modifications that can be made for their child’s success

• Routines and activities are used to support child participation, growth, and learning

• Adaptations and modifications are made to the environment as needed for individual children

*IFSPs that include goals that are being addressed in the QRIS setting, and reflect early care and education providers as active IFSP team members, will be accepted as alternatives to the Child Inclusion Plan

Steps to Quality Essential Trainings

• Live training in Step 2 “Foundations of Inclusion”

• Distance Training in Steps 3 and 4, CONNECT Modules 1-4

http://community.fpg.unc.edu

• Webinar in Step 4, IdahoSTARS Inclusion Plan

Additional IdahoSTARS Trainings

Access to Inclusive Child Care for Infants and Toddlers in Idaho

• Multiple presentations: defining inclusion, benefits of inclusion, developmental screening (Developmental Milestones) and early intervention services in the state of Idaho (Infant and Toddler Program)

• Idaho specific handouts and resources that support collaboration, inclusion policy development and professional development

• “Perspectives on Inclusion” from Idaho families, child care providers and early intervention specialists

Perspectives on Inclusion

“Being able to accommodate and address diversity is an essential component of quality practices in any child care or preschool program. Within this frame of reference, children with special needs or disabilities are viewed as one of the kinds of diversity that enriches and improves early childhood education programs. Other types of diversity include differences such as gender, cultural background, or children's individual interests and strengths.”

IdahoSTARS’ Vision for the Future

• A shared commitment to early childhood inclusion among Idaho’s early childhood inclusion partners

• A clearer understanding of inclusion resources and potential partnerships for inclusion among early care and education programs

• Specialized training focused on access, participation and supports

• Implementation of quality inclusive practices that lead to full participation of ALL children

• A collaborative system for providing developmental screenings and referrals

• Increased partnerships with our Part C and Section 619 providers

Melissa Crist, M.S.

Center on Disabilities and Human Development University of Idaho mcrist@uidaho.edu

www.idahostars.org

For More Information…

Questions, Reflections, Comments

For more information: http://qrisnetwork.org/

QRIS National Learning Network