eNotes
August 5, 2020Updates from the ECTA Center
Section 619 COVID-19 Discussion: Scenario Planning
Allison Layland of the Comprehensive Center Network (CCN) in this presentation discusses scenario planning as a way to expand systemic thinking by determining what could happen if uncertainties become realities. By planning ahead for significant disruptions (e.g., COVID-19), an organization is better able to assess itself during rapidly changing conditions. An eight-step process guides states in developing these scenarios.
Part C Infant and Toddler Program Federal Appropriations and National Child Count 1987-2019
This chart from the ECTA Center shows the federal appropriations allocated for the Part C program, the number of children served, and the federal dollars allocated per child each year from federal fiscal year (FFY) 1987 through FFY 2019. Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is intended to help ensure that all eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities (aged birth-two) and their families receive early intervention services.
Section 619 Preschool Program Federal Appropriations and National Child Count 1977-2019
This growth comparison chart from the ECTA Center shows the federal appropriations allocated for Part B Section 619, the number of children served, and the federal dollars allocated per child each year from federal fiscal year (FFY) 1977 through FFY 2019. Part B, Section 619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is intended to help ensure that all eligible preschool children with disabilities, aged three-five years, receive special education and related services.
News from the Field
Connecticut: Adapt, Advance, Achieve: Connecticut's Plan to Learn and Grow Together
Guidance for local educational agencies (LEAs) as they begin planning for the fall is the focus of this document. Addendum 2 on page 51 offers COVID-19 Guidance and Considerations for Preschool Located in Public Schools dated July 27, 2020.
Ohio: Early Learning and School Readiness: A Guide for Restart
This Ohio Department of Education guide identifies essential questions to consider in developing a reopening plan. Developed with the help of early childhood teachers, administrators and regional technical assistance providers, the guide contains general information relevant to the reopening of all early learning programs. Topics include health and safety, reopening discussion questions for local decision-making, and content-specific information related to Preschool Special Education, Head Start, Early Childhood Education Grants.
Review of State School Reopening Plans and Implications and Suggestions for State Funded Pre-K Programs
This National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER) paper provides a scan of the 51 state education reopening plans and the degree to which pre-K guidance is included and how states can revise their plans to more intentionally include pre-K. Some of the paper's key takeaways include priority being given to younger grades and include implementation of health and safety protocols and technology use expectations being specified along with activities and materials that do not require devices for pre-K programs with remote learning.
The Leadership Team's Guide for Re-Opening Programs
This document from the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) guides local program leadership teams on considerations for supporting children, families, and staff as they return to the program. It includes well-known Pyramid Model practices and encourages practitioners to think about those strategies from a trauma-informed perspective. This approach can guide programs in providing a safe and nurturing environment where children, families, and staff can build resilience, feel safe, and recover.
Families of Children with Disabilities Will Need Support beyond the Pandemic
Data from a recent survey show that during the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States parents of young children with disabilities are generally experiencing higher rates of stress, depression, and anxiety than other parents. Therefore, policy solutions will need to focus not just on getting services to children but also on getting services to families. This resource explores that policymakers will also need to recognize that stress, depression, and anxiety will not end when children return to school or child care but likely will have long-lasting effects that deserve attention beyond the pandemic. Suggested policy solutions that address short- and long-term need include alleviating uncertainties, expanding home visiting programs, and investing in telehealth.
Start with Equity: From The Early Years To The Early Grades - Data, Research, and an Actionable Child Equity Policy Agenda
Harsh discipline and its disproportionate application, the segregation of children with disabilities in learning settings, and the inequitable access to bilingual learning opportunities for dual language and English learners are the three key policy areas that strongly influence children's experiences in the classroom and disproportionately disadvantage children of color and children with disabilities. This report also identifies several common themes and learnings across the three key issue areas to take advantage of the opportunity to finally bring about equitable change across America's systems is as ripe as it has been in a generation.
Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
"Nutritional exposures during the first 1,000 days of life not only contribute to long-term health but also help shape taste preferences and food choices." That is one of the takeaways from the first guidelines ever created for infants and toddlers by the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. This group of experts provide science-based recommendations twice each decade on how our diet affects our health. Other recommendations include not giving added sugar to children during the first two years of life and that breast milk is best.
OSEP Fast Facts: Infants and Toddlers With Disabilities
The U.S. Department of Education collects data from states about infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities who receive early intervention services, special education or related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Fast Facts, developed by the Office of Special Education Programs, summarizes key facts collected through child count, educational environments and settings, discipline, and exiting data collections.