eNotes
January 26, 2026Updates from the ECTA Center
2026 International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute Registration Open
The 2026 International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute will be May 19-21, 2026 (in-person and hybrid), Chapel Hill, NC and Zoom and June 24-25, 2026 (virtual on Zoom only). The Inclusion Institute is a premier educational experience focused on evidence-informed inclusive practices. This year’s theme is Powerful Partnerships: Strengthening Inclusion with Families, Communities, and Change-Makers. Keynote speaker, Mychal Threets, is the resident librarian for PBS and PBS Kids, host of Reading Rainbow, and a mental health advocate. Threets inspires audiences with their joyful message about the power of community, belonging, and access to stories and experiences for every child. The keynote will remind attendees that inclusion begins with connection and continues through the stories we share that spark change in the world.
State Approaches to Child Outcomes Measurement
States use several different approaches to measure child outcomes for Part C and Part B 619/Preschool. These resources provide maps, a summary of each approach and the states that use them based on their FFY 2023 State Performance Plans and Annual Performance Reports. The approach most often used for Part C and Part B 619/Preschool is the Child Outcomes Summary (COS). It summarizes information on a child's functioning in each of the three child outcome areas and uses a 7-point scale.
Analysis Steps Used to Generate National Estimates for Progress Categories, Summary Statements, and Results 2023-2024 (FFY 2023)
This tool outlines the three methods used to compute national estimates for IDEA childhood outcomes progress categories, summary statements, and results for FFY 2023. These include computing the average of all states included, weighted by child count; the average of all states included, unweighted; and computing the average of only states that met all data quality criteria, weighted by child count.
IDEA Child Outcomes Highlights for 2023-2024 (FFY 2023)
This tool summarizes data that states report annually to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) on three child outcomes for IDEA Part C Early Intervention and Part B Preschool programs: social relationships, use of knowledge and skills, and taking action to meet needs. The ECTA Center and the Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy) produce this resource annually to illustrate national child outcomes data for children exiting Part C and Part B preschool and national trends over time. It provides a comparison of national averages from FFY 2023 to 2024.
Announcements
Upcoming National Early Childhood Conferences
As the season gears up for early childhood conferences, we offer this list of dates to help you plan.
- Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), March 11-14, Salt Lake City, UT
- National Training Institute on Effective Practices (NTI): Addressing Challenging Behavior, April 7-10, Tampa, FL
- National Head Start Conference and Expo, May 4-7, Minneapolis, MN
- International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute, Powerful Partnerships: Strengthening Inclusion with Families, Communities, and Change-Makers, May 19-21, Chapel Hill, NC and hybrid and June 24-25, virtual
- Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Conference, August 4-5, Arlington, VA, Details forthcoming
- National Association of State Directors of Special Educators (NASDSE), September 28-30, San Antonio, TX
- Division of Early Childhood (DEC's) 42nd Annual International Conference on Young Children with Special Needs and Their Families, October 26-29, Omaha, NE
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), December 5-8, Washington, DC
News from the Field
Can AI Teletherapy Turn the Tide on Teacher Burnout?
School districts are experimenting with AI-enabled mental health tools to support staff mental health amid national concerns around teacher shortages and burnout. Staff Guidance is a coaching and AI-powered tool specifically designed for educators’ individualized needs. Developed by the Cook Center, a Utah nonprofit that focuses on mental health support, Staff Guidance gives educators faster, more accessible, and more individualized guidance to help stabilize and strengthen the profession. Long-standing stressors, such as heavy workloads, classroom management, rapid digital innovations, and financial strain have worsened since the pandemic. These issues push morale down and keep attrition up.
Temple Grandin Portrait Joins Smithsonian Gallery
The Brocken Spectre and Glory: Portrait of Temple Grandin, an oil painting by artist David Lenz is on display at the National Portrait Gallery. The piece, acquired as part of its Portrait of a Nation program, honors individuals who have made transformative contributions to the United States. Grandin, an educator, author, and speaker from Colorado State University is known globally for designing humane handling equipment and auditing systems to improve the welfare of cattle and other food animals. She ascribes many of her insights to her autism and is a leading advocate for children with autism and their families.
Mattel Adds an Autistic Barbie to Line
Mattel Inc. has introduced an autistic Barbie. The new doll, part of the Barbie Fashionistas collection, has features that reflect common experiences some with autism have or relate to. These include elbow and wrist articulation that can show stimming behaviors like hand flapping and a slanted gaze to indicate non-direct eye contact. The doll also comes with accessories like headphones, a tablet showing symbols used in augmentative and alternative communication apps, and a fidget spinner. Mattel partnered with the nonprofit disability rights organization Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) to bring the new doll to life. Its goal is to give children with autism another way to see themselves represented. Mattel already includes Barbies with Down syndrome, a blind Barbie, and a Barbie and a Ken with vitiligo,
Research
Stanford Study: Public preschool aids in developmental, learning-related diagnoses
A recent Stanford University study looked at how enrollment in public preschool affects the identification and treatment of developmental and learning-related conditions among 3‑ and 4‑year‑olds, especially low‑income children. Relevant study findings show that:
- Public preschool attendance significantly increases detection of physical, behavioral, and developmental conditions in children.
- The children identified were more likely to receive appropriate therapies and interventions, and their families were more likely to access additional supports and services.
Although the study centers on preschool‑aged children, the findings also offer insights for early intervention programs, particularly in supporting smoother transitions to Part B and strengthening early identification systems. This study is among the first to look at the role of modern public preschools in connecting children, including those with developmental challenges and their families, to health care and social services.