california statewide system of school readiness networks inclusion of children with disabilities...

California Statewide System of School Readiness Networks

Inclusion of Children with Disabilities

Prepared by

Chris Drouin, Special Education Division

Anne Kuschner, California Institute on Human Services

Jan Davis, California Institute on Human Services

November 2004

Purpose

To provide background information about, and initiate support for inclusion of children with disabilities in the activities of the California Statewide System of School Readiness Networks

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© CDE, Special Education Division 6

OutcomesParticipants will

• Be aware of special education requirements that will impact on language and literacy;

• Have information about where and how children with disabilities are served;

• Have increased understanding of SED's expectations for the work of Regional Early Childhood Special Education Specialists;

• Have a list of some topics and issues that should be addressed related to literacy and language for children with disabilities over the remainder of the year; and

• Be aware of some resource materials/modules that might be

used/adapted in Regional Network meetings.

7© CDE, Special Education Division

Statewide System of School Readiness Networks

Why Is Special Education Involved?

Why is Special Education Involved?

• The law requires that preschool age children with disabilities be educated in regular preschool programs to the maximum extent appropriate.

• One of the primary purposes of special education is to enable children with disabilities to be educated to the same standards that we expect for all children.

• The IEP is intended to address goals, objectives and services that will enable the child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum.


Free Appropriate Public Education

As used in this part, the term free appropriate public education or FAPE means special education and related services that –

(a) Are provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, without charge;

(b) Meet the standards of the SEA…;

(c) Include preschool, elementary, or secondary education in the state;

(d) Are provided in conformity with an individualized education program (IEP)…

34 CFR 300.13© CDE, Special Education Division 10

Least Restrictive Environment

“ (b)Each public agency shall ensure

(1)That to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities…are educated with children who are non-disabled; and

(2) That special classes, separate schooling or other removal 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.”

34 CFR 300.550


Special Education

“As used in this part, the term special education means specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability…”

34 CFR 300.26


Specially Designed Instruction

(3) Specially-designed instruction means adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child under this part, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction –

(i) To address the unique needs of the child that result from the child’s disability;

(ii) To ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that he or she can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children.


Services for Preschool Age Children with Disabilities

How

Special Education

is Administered in California



Fiscal and Administrative Relationships for Special Education Programs in California

United States Department of EducationOffice of Special Education Programs

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

California Department of EducationSpecial Education Division

Part B of IDEAPreschool and School Age (3-22 years)

Special Education Local Plan Areas

Family Empowerment Centers

School Districts, County Offices of Education, Nonpublic Schools and Agencies

United States Department of EducationOffice of Special Education Programs

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

California Department of EducationSpecial Education Division

Part B of IDEAPreschool and School Age (3-22 years)

Special Education Local Plan Areas

Family Empowerment Centers

School Districts, County Offices of Education, Nonpublic Schools and Agencies


What is a Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA)?

• A single LEA or group of LEAs that are of sufficient size and scope to ensure FAPE for all students within the area.

• Responsible for developing a local plan, receiving and disbursing funds, and for coordinating services across the region.

• SELPA Configurations– Single District– Multidistrict

• District of Residence-District of Service-Administrative Unit• SELPAs have staff usually called Program Specialists who

provide administrative and programmatic supports to districts.


Some SELPA Configurations

SELPA School District

SELPA County Office of Education

School District

School District

SELPA School District

School District

School District


How Services Are Provided

• By one or more districts and/or the County Office of Education

• Programs within the SELPA usually offer multiple options, based on the needs of the child– Special Day Classes– Co-located programs – Individual and Small Group (DIS and RSP)– Itinerant Support to children in regular preschool

programs (DIS and RSP)


Services for Preschool Age Children with Disabilities

Program Service Requirements

LEAs mandated to provide special education and related services to children with disabilities , 3-5 years of age, with a need for intensive special education and services since 1979-80

Program eligibility expanded due to P.L. 99-457 through A.B. 2666 to include all children with disabilities

Programs for Preschool Age Children


Child Find, Referral, andAssessment

LEAs are responsible to locate, identify and evaluate all who may be in need of special education

Have 15 days from receipt of referral to develop an assessment plan

Have 50 days from consent for assessment to complete assessments and to hold IEP meeting

Must assess in all areas related to the suspected disability


Eligibility

• Is identified as having a disability– Autism– Deaf-Blindness– Deafness– Hard of Hearing– Mental Retardation– Multiple Disabilities– Orthopedic Impairment– Other Health Impairment– Emotional Disturbance– Specific Learning Disabilities

– Speech and Language Impairment

– Traumatic Brain Injury– Visual Impairment– Established Medical

Disability

• Needs specially designed instruction

• Needs cannot be met with modification of the regular environment


Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)

• Must include (among other things):– Present levels of performance (including how disability

affects participation in regular preschool activities)– Annual goals and short term objectives or benchmarks to

enable the child to progress in regular curriculum– Supplementary aids and services to enable the child to

be educated with non-disabled children and to progress in the regular curriculum

– Modifications and supports for regular class personnel

• IEP team must include regular education teacher if child is, or may be in regular class.

• Updated annually (or more frequently if requested). Every three years a formal re-evaluation must be done.


Placement Options

Regular Class Designated Instruction and Services Resource Specialist Special Classes and Centers State Special Schools Non-public Schools and Agencies


Service Settings

• Regular public or private preschool• Child development center or family child care home• The child’s regular environment (including the home)• A special site with preschool programs for both

disabled and typically developing children• Reverse mainstream programs• Public school setting which provides age appropriate

environment, materials and services


Related Services

• Audiology• Assistive Technology• Counseling• Early Identification• Medical Services

(related to identifying needs)

• Occupational Therapy• Parent Counseling and

Training• Physical Therapy

• Psychological Services• Recreation• School Health Services • Social Work Services• Speech Pathology• Transportation


Key Legal Documents

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 20 USC 1400 et seq

• 34 CFR Part 300 (federal regulations)• 30 EC 56000 et seq (overall special education laws – applies to

preschool)• 30 EC 56440 – 56449 (specific program elements related to

preschool)• 30 EC 56441.11 – (preschool eligibility criteria)• Check Special Education Portion of website for text searchable

database for state laws and regulations and links to federal regulations (www.cde.ca.gov/spbranch/sed/lawsreg2.htm)


Services for Preschool Age

Children

Where and How are Children Served?



The number of preschool age children with disabilities has increased steadily.

58,011 58,456

60,265

64,603

54000

55000

56000

57000

58000

59000

60000

61000

62000

63000

64000

65000

2000 2001 2002 2003

Preschool Age Children (3-5) in Special Education


26,906

3,946

2,9002,190

1,508980

265157293343369370654

-

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

Preschool Children Served by Disability

Speech and Lanuage ImpairmentAutismMental RetardationSpecific Learning DisabilityOrthopedic ImpairmentOther Health ImpairmentMultiple DisabilitiesVisually ImpairmentDeafHard of HearingEstabilshed Medical DisabilityTraumatic Brain InjuryEmotional DisturbanceDeaf Blind

Children with Speech and Language Impairments are the most frequently identified (66%), followed by Autism (9.72%) and Mental Retardation (7.14%).

30

21,469

9,428

4,895

3,548

983141 105 24

-

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

1

Early Childhood Special Education

Early Childhood Setting

Early Childhood/Early ChildhoodSpecial Education CombinationItinerant

Home

Reverse Mainstream

Separate school

Residential Program

Preschool age children with disabilities are most often served in special education preschool programs (53%), followed by regular preschool programs (23%) and a combination of regular and special education preschool (12%).

31

Children with disabilities are served in a variety of regular preschool settings

2,547

1,835

1,691

1,013

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Head Start

State Preschool

Child Care/Development

Other Private Preschool


The majority of preschool age children served in 2000-2001 either exited special education altogether (28%) or were educated primarily in regular education classes (40%).

28%

40%

7%

25%

0

10

20

30

40

1

Where Do Children Go After Preschool Special Ed?

Exit to General Ed.

Out of Reg Class <20%

Out of Reg Class 21 -79%

Out of Reg Class >80%


30,757

3,854

2,6211,724

795 752 338 258 229 225 201 194 164 149 91 81 61 18 14

-

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

1

Language and speech

Transportation

Occupational therapy

Adapted physical education

Parent counseling

Other special education services

Physical therapy

Vision services

Assistive services

Behavior management

Health and nursing – other services

Specialized services for low incidence disabilities

Audiological services

Deaf and hard of hearing services

Orientation and mobility

Psychological services

Health and nursing – specialize physical healthcare

Individual counseling

Social work services

Language and Speech services are the most frequently provided, followed by transportation, occupational therapy, adapted physical education and parent counseling.

34

Statewide System of School Readiness Networks

Expectations for Early Childhood

Special Education Specialists

Expectations for Early Childhood Special Education Specialists

• Each project will hire a part time Early Childhood Special Education Specialist

• Early Childhood Special Education Specialists will have background in both special education and early childhood.

• General Responsibilities:– Support the activities of the Regional Lead– Act as liaison to SELPAs, districts and county offices of

education administrators– Facilitate participation of early childhood special education

program personnel in the regular training, technical assistance and information sharing activities of the School Readiness Network


What Early Childhood Special Education Specialists can be doing…

• Become familiar with the program requirements for preschool age children with disabilities.

• Find out what kinds of kids are served; who serves them; and where they are served.

• Contact the SELPAs to introduce the project and to find out the best way to involve programs in School Readiness Network activities.

• Find out what programs are doing now to assess and promote development of language and literacy for young children with disabilities.

• Work with the Regional Lead to ensure there is consideration of children with disabilities in all School Readiness Network activities.


Statewide System of

School Readiness Networks

Topics and Issues Related to Language and Literacy for Children with Disabilities

Supports that facilitate the development of oral language and comprehension for young children with

disabilities:• Adult-Child Interactions

• Child-Child Interactions

• The environment as an instructional strategy


Supports that facilitate the development of early literacy experiences, knowledge, and skills for young children with disabilities:

• Adapting early literacy experiences, e.g. use of technology

• Adapting the environment (including resources and materials)


Statewide System of

School Readiness Networks

Resource Materials/Modules

Linking to the DRDP and DRDP access: Strategies to assess early language and literacy learning for young children with disabilities.

Home-School Connection:Strategies that support children’s early

language and literacy skills in the home.


“Children know how to learn in more ways than we know how

to teach them.”

(Ronald Edmunds, 1991)

California Statewide System of School Readiness Networks

Inclusion of Children with Disabilities

THE END!

california statewide system of school readiness networks inclusion of children with disabilities...

Documents

special education programs

term special education

intensive special education

secondary education

special classes

california slide

california cde

preschool age children