eNotes from

1. Just Released! ED-HHS Policy Statement on Family Engagement
     Source: U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services - May 5, 2016
2. ADHD in Young Children: Use Recommended Treatment First
     Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - May 3, 2016
3. Fact Sheet Shows Progress in Detecting Infant Hearing Loss
     Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program - May 5, 2016
4. New Resources on Early Care and Education for Dual Language Learners
     Source: Center for Applied Linguistics - Retrieved May 4, 2016

Source: U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services - May 5, 2016

The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services have released the final version of their joint policy statement on Family Engagement: From the Early Years to the Early Grades (May 2016). It is the Departments' position that strong family engagement is central to promoting children's healthy development, school readiness, and academic achievement in elementary school and beyond. When families and the programs where children learn work together in meaningful ways, children have more positive attitudes toward school, stay in school longer, have better attendance, and experience more school success. The joint policy statement:

See the ECTA Center's Family Engagement webpage for additional resources.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - May 3, 2016

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry recommend behavior therapy over medication as first-line treatment for young children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently analyzed healthcare claims data for young children insured by Medicaid between 2008 and 2011 and young children insured through employer-sponsored insurance between 2008 and 2014, finding that approximately 75% of young children with ADHD received medicine as treatment. Only about 50% of young children with ADHD in Medicaid and 40% with employer-sponsored insurance received psychological services, which may have included behavior therapy. To learn more see:

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program - May 5, 2016

Undetected hearing loss can delay a child's speech and language development, learning, and social skills. A new fact sheet, EHDI Program Update: CDC's Progress in Detecting Infant Hearing Loss (April 2016), shows that clear progress has been made in helping states and territories support the early identification of deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) infants and ensuring that DHH infants receive appropriate services. The earlier children with hearing loss are identified and start getting intervention, the more likely they are to reach their full potential.

Source: Center for Applied Linguistics - Retrieved May 4, 2016

In the fall of 2014, the Heising-Simons and McKnight Foundations provided support for researchers to convene a National Research Summit on the Early Care and Education of Dual Language Learners (DLLs) in Washington DC. The Summit focused on new directions in research, policy and practice and produced a variety of commissioned papers and shorter briefs tailored to various audiences. These publications are now available on the Research Summit website. They include a set of briefs specifically for parents translated into seven different languages.

See also, New Resources for Educators, Policy Makers and Families of Young DLLs (April 15, 2016), a related Preschool Matters blog post from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), which highlights these publications, as well as other resources related early care and education for young DLLs.