State Examples for Inclusion

• Level: State
• Link: Oregon Department of Education (ODE) Equity Stance

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) developed a webpage for ensuring equity in education in the state. This page includes the ODE equity stance, resources, and tools to support implementation. This resource may be valuable to states working to create a state vision for inclusion with their state leadership teams.

• Level: State
• Link: Strengthening Early Childhood Inclusion: Opportunities to improve collaboration between school districts and community partners to support young children with disabilities

This report, developed by Start Early using a short-term exploratory grant from the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, outlines key findings from focus groups and potential next steps for Illinois policy makers and systems leaders to build LEA and state capacity to leverage new federal resources on inclusion.

• Level: State
• Link: Blueprint for Maryland's Future

This resource outlines the Blueprint for Maryland's future. It creates a new funding structure for Maryland's schools and includes the requirement that local school systems enroll children with disabilities in public prekindergarten regardless of income.

• Level: Local Program (IEP Teams)
• Link: Making Least Restrictive Environment Placement Decisions for Preschool Children, Ages 3 through 5

This guidance document is designed to assist Individual Education Program (IEP) teams in understanding early childhood educational environments and their relationship to appropriate Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) decisions for preschoolers with disabilities.

• Level: Local Program
• Link: Indicators of Quality Inclusion in Early Childhood (IQI-EC)

The Colorado Department of Education developed the Indicators of Quality Inclusion in Early Childhood (IQI-EC) fostering the development of every child.

• Level: State, Community, Local Program
• Link: Early Childhood Inclusion Guide

The Delaware Early Childhood Inclusion Guide helps early childhood professionals in DE to meet the needs of young children with disabilities and their families. It includes five parts:

1. principles and policies;
2. strategies for working with families;
3. accommodations, modifications, and supports;
4. when you are concerned about a child's development; and
5. inclusion resources and supports.

• Level: Community
• Link: Community Inclusion Teams 2021

Illinois was chosen as one of two states to pilot the Implementation of Inclusion project using the Indicators of High-Quality Inclusion to guide implementation. Early CHOICES partnered with the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) to provide technical assistance for implementing, sustaining, and scaling-up high-quality inclusive preschools. This resource highlights the community change data from this TA initiative.

A companion Inclusion Vision Statement articulates a commitment to the inclusion of each and every child with special needs with typically developing peers in all early childhood environments.

• Level: State
• Link: Pennsylvania Guidelines to Support the Early Intervention Process: Inclusion

This document outlines the inclusion guidelines in Pennsylvania, along with the key components that support inclusion. The document includes appendices on resources for inclusion, keys to successful early childhood inclusion, PA's approach to the delivery of early intervention services, facilitating children's participation, and program options in Pennsylvania.

• Level: Local Program (IEP Teams)
• Link: Early Childhood Special Education Services (ECSES)

The Vermont Early Childhood Special Education Services (ECSES) page provides resources for local districts to use to enable young children with disabilities to be full participants in everyday routines and activities across a variety of settings (in their homes with their families, in child care, preschool or school programs, and in the community) throughout the early childhood years. Resources include a webinar on creating high-quality inclusive environments.

• Level: State, Community, Local Program
• Link: Virginia Guidelines for Early Childhood Inclusion

The Virginia Guidelines for Early Childhood Inclusion Guidance Document is designed to assist Virginia's school divisions and early childhood communities in identifying, developing, and sustaining inclusive opportunities within high-quality early childhood programs for children with disabilities.

• Level: State
• Link: Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs

The Virginia Department of Education Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs page provides resources to support high-quality inclusion in early childhood programs. This page includes links to the VA EC Inclusion Guidance Document; guidance on preschool class size; and links to video demonstrations.

• Level: State
• Link: Early Childhood Preschool Inclusion/LRE

This Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) website's resource list includes a recorded webinar on Funding Considerations for Inclusive Early Childhood Programming, which shares information on funds to support inclusion and early childhood transportation FAQs.

• Level: State, Community, Local Program
• Link: Understanding Inclusion Training Series

The Understanding Inclusion series covers a range of topics from defining inclusion to understanding the benefits to advocating for inclusion. Developed for families with family input, it is just as meaningful and useful for practitioners working with families who have children from birth– age 5.

• Level: State, Community, Local Program
• Link: Inclusive Settings

The Illinois Early Learning Project (IEL) provides tool kits, resource lists, podcasts, tip sheets related to inclusive settings.

• Level: State, Local Program
• Link: Leadership in Effective And Developmentally-appropriate Services (LEADS)

The Leadership in Effective And Developmentally-appropriate Services (LEADS) in VA Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) is an initiative designed to create and support a network of statewide leaders responsible for administrative oversight of local ECSE programs. This webpage includes a section on data, inclusion, training, and resources that are helpful to local programs.

The website allows users to find their Virginia Department of Education TTAC ECSE Contact by entering their county or school district.

• Level: State, Community
• Link: Inclusion in Illinois Infographic

This infographic provides information on inclusion in Illinois across birth–5 systems, including information on their public outreach, supports to increase access, guidance, incentives and accountability for LEAs and early intervention programs.

• Level: State, Community, Local Program
• Link: Together We're Better Inclusive Education Campaign

The Together We're Better Inclusive Education Campaign website includes information on the program in Maryland designed to rasies awareness of the value and importance of inclusion for children with disabilities. Resources on the webpage include an impact report, and inclusive education presentations.

• Level: State
• Link: Oregon Early Childhood Inclusion Indicators Initiative

The Oregon Early Childhood Inclusion webpage provides public awareness information on oregon's mission to foster equity and excellence for every learner through collaboration with families, educators, partners, and communities.

• Level: State
• Link: Meaningful Inclusion in Early Childhood

This video was developed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction in collaboration with the Sun Prairie Area School District, and it shares the perspectives of parents and educators on the benefits of inclusion. Strategies for supporting meaningful inclusion are provided.