Economic Collaborations to
Promote Preschool Inclusion
Preschool
INCLUSION
Inclusion Institute – May 2011
EC
policy
blended
EARLY CHILDHOOD
ENVIRONMENTS considerations
ECONOMIC COLLABORATION
policyregulations
jointagreements
least restrictive environment
layeredfunding
braidedfunding
LRE
servicedelivery
Intended Outcomes
• Consider the defining features of inclusion (access,
participation, and supports) from the DEC/NAEYC joint
position statement as a means focusing on potential
economic collaboration opportunities in state or community
contexts.
• Examine the national context: what states and communities
are doing, salient guidance, and other available resources.
• Identify opportunities and challenges within
community/state contexts.
• Opportunities to apply information gained.
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THE DEFINING FEATURES
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DEC/NAEYC Joint Definition of EC Inclusion
Early childhood inclusion embodies the values,
policies, and practices that support the right of
every infant and young child and his or her family,
regardless of ability, to participate in a broad range
of activities and contexts as full members of
families, communities, and society. The desired
results of inclusive experiences for children with
and without disabilities and their families include a
sense of belonging and membership, positive social
relationships and friendships, and development and
learning to reach their full potential.
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DEC/NAEYC
Defining Features of Inclusion
Access
Access means providing a
wide range of activities and
environments for every
child by removing physical
barriers and offering
multiple ways to promote
learning and development.
Participation
Supports
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DEC/NAEYC
Access
Participation
Supports
Defining Features of Inclusion
Participation means using a
range of instructional
approaches to promote
engagement in play and
learning activities, and a
sense of belonging for
every child.
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DEC NAEYC
Access
Participation
Supports
Defining Features of Inclusion
Supports refer to broader
aspects of the system such as
professional development,
incentives for inclusion, and
opportunities for
communication and
collaboration among families
and professionals to assure
high quality inclusion.
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Current Context = Need for Economic Collaboration
• Importance of early childhood development
• Importance of quality early learning
opportunities
• Disparity in access to opportunities
• Current Economic Climate
– Cutbacks in federal and state funding
– Increased accountability
•
•
•
•
Child Development Center or Child Care Program
Early Head Start / Head Start
Public or Private Preschool/Prekindergarten
Public or Private Kindergarten
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Working Within and Among Systems
partnerships
collaboration
coordination
cooperation
RELATIONSHIPS
Adapted from NCCIC Collaboration Framework
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Working Within and Among Systems
Practice
INFLUENCES
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Working Within and Among Systems
Defining Features
Funding Strategies
Variables
Considerations for Decision-making
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Working Within and Among Systems
Defining Features
partnerships
collaboration
coordination
cooperation
Variables
Funding Strategies
Practice
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Cooperation/Coordination/Collaboration/Partnership
• Increase the
efficient use of
resources
• Increase
coordination
• Reduce
administrative
costs and
burden
• Reduce
duplication
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Your Current Context
POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS:
Consider who also serves young
children and their families?
CONSIDERING YOUR CURRENT PRACTICE:
Think about those you communicate
with?
What formal and informal
communications are part of your work?
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Funding Sources: Supporting Young Children with Disabilities
Federal Health &
Human Services
Federal Education
IDEA
Title I
Head
Start
Even
Start
Child
Care
TANF
Medicaid
& S-Chip
State Education
Funds
State Pre-K Funds
IDEA
Services
Local Education
Funds
High Quality
Programs
Private Pay
IDEA Services and Supports
may be provided in
preschool classrooms, child
care, the home and/or
other locations.
Foundation Funds
KEY: Solid lines to direct funders; dotted lines to possible funders.
Prepared by NECTAC, May 2011
Classrooms may be funded by
Head Start, IDEA, Title I, State
Pre-K, Local Funds,
Foundations, Private Pay, or
combinations of resources.
Economic Collaboration
Strategies
•
•
•
•
Knowledge of Funding Parameters
Joint Financing Strategies
In-kind Contributions
Shared Resources
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Economic Collaboration
Variables
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Facilities
Equipment
Materials
Transportation
Shared roles
Joint training
Administrative support
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Unified, Seamless Services = Blended Programs
Children are together in a particular program.
Funding for each child is specific to eligibility for
particular programs and/or services.
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Braiding Funds
Separate categorical funding streams are braided
together to support unified, seamless services.
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Regulations
Specific to Each Funding Stream:
• ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Age of child, family income, special needs
• PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Staff qualifications, teacher/child ratio
•
FLOW AND ADMINISTRATION
Federal to local, federal to state, subsidies to
families, fiscal years
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Legislation Influencing Inclusion
Civil rights laws
– Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973–
bans discrimination on the basis of disability by
recipients of federal funds
– Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
Amended 2010 - provides for equal rights to
public accommodations
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Legislation Influencing Inclusion
Title 34 Part 104 – Nondiscrimination on
the basis of handicap
• Handicapped person
• has a physical or mental impairment which
substantially limits one or more major life
activities,
• has a record of such an impairment, or
• is regarded as having such an impairment.
• Applies to preschool
• Comparable facilities
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Legislation Influencing Inclusion
Entitlement to Services
– Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
provides specified services by right to eligible
persons with disabilities; reauthorized in 2004
– Head Start Act – amended in 2007
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IDEA Funding Regulations
A continuum of alternative placements is available
To the maximum extent appropriate, children with
disabilities are educated with children who are
nondisabled
Placement decisions are based on the unique needs of
each child, by the IEP team
Placement determined at least annually, is based on
the child's individualized education program (IEP),
and be as close as possible to the child's home.
34 CFR §300.116
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IDEA Funding Regulations
Supplementing and Supplanting
• Special Education funds must be used to
supplement and increase the level of federal,
state and local funds expended for special
education and related services provided to
children with disabilities and in no case to
supplant those federal, state, and local
funds.
(34 CFR 300.202)
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IDEA Funding Regulations
Maintenance of Effort (MOE)
• LEA’s must spend…..at least the same
amount……as the LEA spent for that purpose the
(previous year)
Excess Cost
• Funds MAY NOT be used for cost items used by all
students
• Funds MAY be used for
– Adapted furniture/equipment, software
– Services and aids that benefit students with
disabilities in general ed classroom, even if
nondisabled students receive incidental benefit
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THE NATIONAL CONTEXT
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Utilization of Strategies for Economic
Collaboration
Not at all
A little
Sometimes
District Level
State Level
Survey of 619 Coordinators
January 2011
Frequently
N=19
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Collaborative Use of Funds
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Professional development
Placement opportunities
Personnel (e.g. teacher, teacher assistant, therapist)
Facility space
Equipment, materials, or supplies
Transportation
Playground adaptations/improvements
Facility adaptations/improvements
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Facilitators of Economic Collaboration
STATE LEVEL
DISTRICT LEVEL
• Interagency
collaboration/
coordination of projects
and policies
• Administrative structures
and processes
• Philosophy and
relationships
• Professional development
• Active collaboration with
community partners
• Strategies, policies and
requirements for districts
• Ability to share resources
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Barriers to Economic Collaboration
STATE LEVEL
• Limited interagency
collaboration
• Limited capacity and
access to programs
• Monitoring, licensing and
credentialing
• Lack of support for early
childhood programs
DISTRICT LEVEL
• Philosophy for instructional
approach and program
design
• Personnel issues
• Limited resources and
supports
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YOUR OWN CONTEXT: ACTIVITY
1. What collaborations are
currently possible in
your context?
2. What are FACILITATORS
in within your context?
3. What BARRIERS exist?
4. What might be possible
through potential
collaborations?
Head Start
Public OR
Private
Schools
Community
Programs
and Child
Care
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www.nectac.org
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APPLYING INFORMATION
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Working Within and Among Systems
Defining Features
partnerships
collaboration
coordination
cooperation
Variables
Funding Strategies
Practice
36
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Angel
1. Read the description of
the child.
2. For this example, consider
• Relationship
• Influences
• Considerations for
Decision-Making
• Defining Features of
Inclusion
• Angel will be 5 years old in the
summer.
• He attends his neighborhood
church preschool 2 days a week.
• His family would like to have
attended the same private
preschool as his brother and
sister.
• The preschool teacher would like
to know how to include Angel in
learning activities.
• Angel has an IEP that includes
speech/language services.
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Sean
1. Read the description of
the child.
2. For this example, consider
• Relationship
• Influences
• Considerations for
Decision-Making
• Defining Features of
Inclusion
Sean is 4 years old. He likes to play
with other children.
• It’s hard for others to understand
him.
• He gets frustrated when he’s not
able to get his point across which
leads to frequent conflicts (such
as, taking toys from others,
pushing, or stomping off in an
angry way).
• He is eligible for special
education services, including
speech/language therapy.
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Stacia
1. Read the description of
the child.
2. For this example, consider
• Relationship
• Influences
• Considerations for
Decision-Making
• Defining Features of
Inclusion
Stacia will soon be turning 3 years old.
• Both of her parents work full time.
• She has been found eligible for
special education.
• She uses a wheelchair.
• Educational support is needed
related to general knowledge and
skills.
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Jamie
1. Read the description of
the child.
2. For this example, consider
• Relationship
• Influences
• Considerations for
Decision-Making
• Defining Features of
Inclusion
Jamie is 3 years old.
• He has a diagnosis of autism.
• He shows little interest in playing
with other children.
• He will often repeat what others
say.
• He will stay near other children,
and watch what they are doing.
• He has never attended any early
childhood program.
• His parents have made a referral
for special education.
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Continuous Improvement
• What worked well for you about this session?
• What suggestions do you have for improving
this session?
• What questions do you have?
• What resources might be helpful to you?
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Resources
• National Early Childhood
Technical Assistance Center
www.nectac.org
• National Child Care
Information Center
www.nccic.org
• The Finance Project
www.financeproject.org
Technical Assistance Specialists
Katy McCullough
[email protected]
Mary Louise Peters
[email protected]
• DEC-NAEYC Position on Early
Childhood Inclusion
http://www.naeyc.org/files/n
aeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAE
YC_EC_updatedKS.pdf
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