eNotes
May 29, 2026Updates from the ECTA Center
2026 International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute
The in-person portion of the 2026 International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute took place on May 19-21 in Chapel Hill, NC. Virtual sessions will be offered on June 24-25 via Zoom and registration is open. 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. Sessions celebrate the positive impact that families, communities, and change-makers create when they unite to advance inclusion.
ECTA offers valuable resources that support high quality inclusion.
New ECTA Inclusion Learning Community
The ECTA Inclusion Learning Community, which has always focused on birth-to-5 inclusion, is working to engage early intervention (Part C) partners into the conversation. The group's goal is to foster disability inclusion by exchanging promising practices, program exemplars, resources, data trends, and research across early childhood sectors. The cross-sector group includes leaders from early childhood special education, early intervention (EI), childcare, Head Start, state Pre-K, and national research and technical assistance organizations.
Interested EI leaders, please join us!The calls will continue to highlight specific state practices and provide an inclusive format for sharing and learning from one another.
- Meets virtually every other month on the second Tuesday at 3:00 PM ET.
- Next meeting: Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET.
Contact jani.kozlowski@unc.edu for more information.
News from the Field
New Podcast Series Asks: What If Everyday Routines Were STEM Moments?
A new podcast series, STEMIE Family Hotline, provides a convenient and accessible way for families to:
- Recognize STEM learning opportunities in everyday routines.
- Build confidence in supporting young children's learning.
- Feel empowered to approach daily activities with curiosity, creativity, and play.
The eight-episode podcast follows the Diaz family and their 9-month-old child, Leia, as they receive real-time support from STEM experts. Through everyday experiences, such as grocery shopping or going for an outdoor walk, the episodes show how simple moments can become meaningful STEM learning opportunities. Episodes also feature a guest expert who shares strategies and insights for making everyday moments more inclusive and supportive of all children's STEM learning.
STEMIEFest
STEMIEFest will be held November 9-10, 2026, 12:00-4:00 PM EST. This free, bi-annual virtual conference attracts early childhood practitioners, early intervention providers, institutions of higher education (IHE) faculty, and families in helping young children with and without disabilities engage in and benefit from STEM learning. This year's theme is Noticing the Thinking: Building Early STEM Programs that Inspire Lifelong Curiosity.
STEM Innovation for Inclusion in Early Education (STEMIE) Center aims to:
- Expand the body of knowledge of implementing evidence-informed practices for early STEM learning.
- Provide a continuum of technical assistance to improve knowledge awareness, acquisition, and implementation of inclusive STEM practices.
- Engage partners from diverse disciplines and industries in work to increase the inclusion of young children with disabilities in high-quality STEM learning experiences.
Research
Association between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Child Homelessness in the United States
Although adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) contribute to increased risk of homelessness in the United States (U.S.), there is little research that links ACEs to homelessness in children using nationally representative samples in the U.S. In Association between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Child Homelessness in the United States, a study examined the association between individual and cumulative ACEs and parent-reported child homelessness in the U.S. Results showed that among the 965 children who experienced homelessness, parents reported:
- 41% had four or more ACEs
- 13.7% had three ACEs
- 14% had two ACEs
- 16.9% had at least one ACE
- 14.4% had no ACEs
This study demonstrated that ACEs are evident risk factors that can lead to child homelessness in the U.S. Implications for practice and policies aimed at addressing a wide range of interventions for preventing ACEs and child homelessness in the U.S. households are further discussed.
Family Involvement in Speech and Language Therapy for Children with Special Needs
In Family Involvement in Speech and Language Therapy for Children with Special Needs a study compares the level of involvement of families in the process and their participation models in different therapy approaches. The literature shows the active participation of families in the therapy process:
- Accelerates children's language development.
- Increases the long-term effects of therapeutic interventions.
- Supports the sustainability of the learning process.
- Enhance parent and child interaction.
The study highlights the importance of tailored training programs for parents, which empowers them to reinforce therapy techniques at home, thereby enhancing the overall efficacy and consistency of the intervention process.