eNotes
September 3, 2021Updates from the ECTA Center
Keynotes Speakers Announced for 50 Years of TA Excellence at FPG
Judy Heumann, Jani Kozlowski, and Seena Skelton, Ph.D. are the keynote speakers for the 50th anniversary celebration of technical assistance at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, September 30, October 7, and October 14, from 3:00 PM to 4:15 PM EDT.
- Heumann, an American disability rights activist, is recognized internationally as a leader in the disability community and a lifelong civil rights advocate for people with disabilities.
- Kozlowski, a TA Specialist for the Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA) Center at FPG, is the author of "Every Child Can Fly: An Early Childhood Educator's Guide to Inclusion" to be released spring, 2022.
- Dr. Skelton, Director of Operations of the Midwest and Plains (MAP) Equity Assistance Center has garnered more than 25 years of experience working in the areas of systems change, school improvement, and educational equity.
Beginning with the ground-breaking work that Pascal "Pat" Trohanis started in 1971, today's TA continues to educate, support, and provide services through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These keynotes, as well as other national early childhood leaders in panel discussions, will help participants connect the past with the present and inform how we shape the future of TA. Register online to attend all or any of the sessions.
FFY2019 Family Survey Data for Part C Early Intervention
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) requires all states and jurisdictions that receive Part C funding to annually report on the percentage of families who agreed that early intervention has helped their family: know their rights, effectively communicate their child's needs, and helped them help their child develop and learn. Other information from the Family Survey Data is how states collect family data; what the data show; trends in national family survey data; and how to use family data to improve practices. (Also available in PDF)
Part C Child Find Funnel Chart Tool
State or local Part C programs may use Child Find Funnel Chart tool to generate a funnel chart that allows easy visualization of their child find data. The tool is an Excel template for displaying data about infants and toddlers at each step of the Part C process, from referral through exit, for a set of infants and toddlers referred within a specified time span. The dashboard is used to generate one or more funnel charts, and offers the opportunity to select the data elements to be included in the chart.
Technical Support to CDC EHDI Team on Part C Programs
The ECTA Center will help the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) team identify best practices/models with Part C programs at the state and national levels to better address documenting that infants with hearing loss are receiving early development services. This includes measuring progress, assessing outcomes, and meeting national benchmarks. Because of a lack of historical documentation, it is unclear whether states/systems are preventing or minimizing communicative delays typically observed in late-identified children who are D/HH or whether children are consequently not receiving the benefits they should.
Summary of State and Jurisdictional Eligibility Definitions for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities Under IDEA Part C
This infographic summarizes national variations in eligibility policies for infants and toddlers from birth to age 3 enrolling in early intervention programs under Part C of the Individuals with Disability Act (IDEA). Staff from ECTA and The Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy) reviewed online documentation of eligibility policies for states, territories, and the Department of Defense, collectively referred to as "states", that receive Part C funding. (Also available in PDF)
News from the Field
New Guidance Reaffirms Importance of Full Implementation of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) issued this letter to state and local partners that reiterates its commitment to ensuring children with disabilities and their families have successful early intervention and educational experiences in the 2021-2022 school year as they return to in-person learning. The question and answers (Q&As) focus on topics to help ensure that regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic or the mode of instruction, children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and that infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families receive early intervention services.
Return to School Roadmap: Child Find Under Part B of IDEA
This Q&A document focuses on school reopening efforts and clarifies that, regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic or the mode of instruction, children with disabilities are entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families to appropriate IDEA Part C services.
OSEP Fast Facts
OSEP has released a new OSEP Fast Facts: Race and Ethnicity of Children with Disabilities Served under IDEA Part B and a supplemental tool, Hand in Hand, which explore IDEA, Section 618x data with the specific lens on race and ethnicity. Compared to other student with disabilities:
- Asian students are more likely to be identified with autism or hearing impairment and less likely to drop out and more likely to graduate with a regular high school diploma than all students with disabilities;
- African American students are more likely to be identified with an intellectual disability or emotional disturbance and more likely to receive a disciplinary removal;
- Hispanic students are more likely to be identified with a hearing impairment or a specific learning disability;
- American Indian or Alaska Native students are more likely to drop out and less likely to be inside a regular class less than 40% of the day; and
- White students are more likely to be served inside a regular class 80% or more of the day and less likely to be identified with a specific learning disability or intellectual disability.
OSEP Fast Facts is an ongoing effort to display data from the 12 data collections authorized under IDEA Section 618 into graphic, visual representations with the intent to present 618 data quickly and clearly.
Request for Applications: Pilot Study Using Administrative Data to Evaluate "Child Find" Early Identification Systems
A funding opportunity for universities, state governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations to improve early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities so children and families, especially among population groups with health disparities, can get the services and support they need. The opportunity is a collaboration between the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) at the CDC to implement efforts supported by the "Learn the Signs. Act Early." program. Application deadline is October 15, 2021.
Transition to Kindergarten: Why It Matters and How to Promote Success
This resource provides the key practices of kindergarten transitions that foster collaboration, engagement, and successful outcomes. This overview of the "what, why, and how" of successful kindergarten transitions will be helpful reference to leaders, educators, families, and others involved in the transition process to understand why children's kindergarten transition experiences are essential to their success.
CEC Offers Guidance on Use of ARP Funds
This Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) white paper addresses the shortage of special educators across the nation. Building from the Office of Special Education Programs' Attract, Prepare, Retain Initiative, the paper's strategies include the creation of financial incentives such as fellowships or loan forgiveness programs and teacher residency and educator preparation programs. At least 48 states and the District of Columbia have reported shortages of special education teachers. This leaves children with disabilities in a more vulnerable position as the new school year begins. To retain existing educators, the paper suggests implementing evidence-based strategies to support staff's overall wellness and improving staffing ratios.
TANF at 25: Poverty Remains High Among the Nation's Babies, But Few are Assisted
This fact sheet looks at the 25-year history of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and how the persistent effects of historical racism and sexism on the economic assistance program contribute to lower allocation of funds to direct assistance in states with higher populations of Black families and other families of color.
Families with infants and toddlers face a variety of challenges that affect their ability to meet children's basic needs and provide a stable physical environment for optimal development. For families living in poverty, feeding, clothing, and housing are among the largest challenges. Yet, few families who could benefit from TANF's basic cash assistance receive it.