Supporting Diverse Learners Across the
Commonwealth’s Mixed Delivery System
Early Childhood Special Education Update
Board Presentation
April 12, 2011
1
Supporting Diverse Learners &
Early Childhood Special Education
2

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
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.

3
EEC’s System of Support
Supporting Diverse 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
4
EEC System Supporting Diverse Learners
and Early Childhood Special Education
Regional Family &
Community Engagement
Quality Specialist
Host Regional
Communities
of Practices
(COP) Meetings
Educator Provider Support
Provide Regional
Supports ,
Technical
Assistance and Site
Visits with RCPs to
School Districts,
Early Education
and Care Programs
RCPs Supports to
Families and Schools to
Support Transitions
5
Policy Unit &
Grants Management
Financial Assistance
Specialists
Legal Team
Professional
Development for
educators on the
inclusion of young
children with
disabilities
Special Quest State
Team
State Agency
Collaboration
MOU
Special Education
Advisory Council
Interagency
Coordinated
Council
Grant
Administration,
management ,
and ISA oversight
Review and
Approve
Requests
Special Needs
Financial
Assistance
EEC’s Strategic Linkages to Supports for Diverse Learners
• Income Eligible Financial Asst.
• Flex Pool Funding
• Early Childhood SPED Grants*
Create and Implement a System to •EEC Licensing,
•Learning Guidelines (PRE/IT)
Improve and Support Quality
Statewide
•QRIS*, CFSEL*
Increase and Promote Family
Support, Access and Affordability
• Special Quest*
Create a Workforce System
• Batelle Trainings*
• EC SPED TA & Training *
• Best Practices in Early
Childhood Transition
Create Communications Structure
• EC Special Ed Info on EEC
website
Build the Internal Infrastructure to • MOU*, RCP*, Communities of
Practice*, ICC, ESE-SAC, Autism
Support Achieving the Vision
Commission*
“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.”
EEC’s Related Indicators of Success






7
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 and provides
supports and resources for transitioning children in and out of early
education and care programs and services.
Family services are integrated and 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
Supporting Regional and Community Collaborations
Interagency 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)
Boston Region
Thom Boston Metro EI
Jamaica Plain

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.
Northeast Region
Professional Center for Child Development
Andover
Central Region
Criterion Child Enrichment
Gardner
Western Region
Thom Springfield Infant Toddler Services
Springfield
MetroWest Region
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 Practice offers 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 RCPs to 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


EEC and the Regional
Consultation Programs will
conduct 97 visits in 351
school districts across the
state.
10 visits are in Level 4
schools
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
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

15
Creating a workforce system
Professional Development Opportunities
Transition Webinars


16
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
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
Best Practices in Early Childhood Transition
This guide is the result of a collaborative
effort between the Departments of Early
Education and Care, Public Health, and
Elementary and Secondary Education.
18
http://www.mass.gov/Eoedu/docs/EEC
/programs_licensing/special_needs/tra
nsition_guide.pdf
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
Create Communications Structure
Financial Assistance:
Supporting Diverse Learners & Early Childhood
Special Education
19
Income Eligible Financial Assistance
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
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.
Increase and Promote Family Support, Access and Affordability
Financial Assistance Special Needs Flex Pool
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

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.
Increase and Promote Family Support, Access and Affordability
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
22
Increase and Promote Family Support, Access and Affordability
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
23
Increase and Promote Family Support, Access and Affordability
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
14,854 children 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
24
Districts reported that during
SY 2009 -2010 children received IEP
services in the following setting:
81
162
175
264
412
3242
Home
FCC
ECE programs
Other
Head Start
Public Schools
Increase and Promote Family Support, Access and Affordability
Perspectives from Community Partners
Supporting Diverse Learners & Early Childhood
Special Education
Early Intervention and Public Schools
Zulmira 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
Supporting Diverse Learners & Early Childhood
Special Education
26
Number of Children Age 3-5 Statewide
with Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
As of October 1
14,882
SY05-06
SY06-07
SY07-08
SY08-09
SY09-10
SY10-11
SY05-06 SY06-07 SY07-08 SY08-09 SY09-10 SY10-11
3 Yr Olds 3,231 3,230 3345 3,516 3,463 3,465
4 Yr Olds 4,885 4,809 4886 4,995 5,093 5,002
5 Yr Olds 5,829 6,157 6104 6,243 6,184 6,415
Total
13,945 14,196 14,335 14,754 14,740 14,882
27
Retrieved March 15, 2011
http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/reports/enroll/default.html?yr=sped1011
Communities serving the larges population of
children ages 3, 4 and 4 years with IEPS















28
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