Serving Vermont’s Young Children with Special Needs and their Families

1. Serving Vermont’s Young Children with Special Needs and their Families

2. What? LRE FAPE IFSP IDEA VELS DEC CAPTA EEE IEP FITP SLP OT PT ECFMH DAP LEA NAEYC

3. ApproachestoIntervention

4. Protective, Stable, Secure Relationships The foundation of the intervention pyramid include: All children require ongoing and consistent relationships for emotional and cognitive competency Responsive care giving relationships Formation of ongoing, nurturing trusting, relationships with consistent caregivers Engaging interactions

5. High Quality Supportive Environments Natural environments (home or community-based settings) Universal Design Physical protection and an ongoing sense of security Developmentally appropriate responsive and predictable environment Warm loving nurturing environment Developmentally supportive relationships and family patterns

6. Developmentally Appropriate Practices and Interactions Interactions adapted to child’s individual differences and developmental needs DAP opportunities are matched to child’s functional developmental levels and individual differences Social and learning interactions are guided Attention, relating to others, two-way communication Sustained engagement with people, materials, and environment

7. Specific Therapies and Focus Interventions Includes but not limited to: specialized instruction speech and language therapy occupational therapy physical therapy early intervention ABA, DIR, TEACHH, PECS, DTL, ETC sensory integration biomedical approaches

8. Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) 2004 What is required under Part C and Part B of the act for young children with special needs?

9. Part C Birth up to 3 years of age Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) 2004

10. Part B 3 through 21 years of age Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) 2004

11. Vermont’s Part C Program Family Infant Toddler Program (FITP) Birth to 3

12. Family Infant Toddler Program FITP FITP Regional Host Agency Birth to 3

13. Child Find Requirement • Schooldistricts have the ultimate responsibility to locate, identify, and evaluate children (birth through 21) with suspected disabilities. • Public awareness activities may include: • Use of media such as advertisements placed in newspaper, radio, or local TV • Parent/community outreach to playgroups, childcare providers, medical practitioners, WIC, local parent child centers, etc. • Early Childhood screenings offered on an on-going or periodic basis.

14. Birth to 3 Referrals • Central point of referral: • Family Infant Toddler Program’s • Regional Host Agency • Primary referral sources include: • Parents • Physicians • CAPTA (DCF) • Home health agencies • Early Head Start • Child care providers • School District

15. Family, Infant, & Toddler Program Referral and Evaluation Process Development of an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP)

16. IFSP Evaluation Planning Team • Family • Regional early interventionist • School representative • Community resource parent • Others (CSHN social worker, Early Head Start, CUPS, etc.,) • Teams determine: • Who will make initial visit • Who will provide interim service coordination • Develop a multidisciplinary evaluation plan based on family’s concerns • Determine eligibility for early • intervention services

17. Multidisciplinary Evaluation Means involvement by two or more qualified personnel from at least two different disciplines or professions Must be completed within 45 days of host agency receiving referral Includes observations, reports, & parent interview/observations Family directed assessment of resources, priorities, and concerns Birth to 3

18. All Domain Assessment • FITP Recommended • measurement tools: • Infant-Toddler Developmental Assessment (IDA) • Hawaii Early Learning Profile (HELP) • Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC) • Assessment, Evaluation and Programming for Infants and Young Children (AEPS) • Mullen Scales of Early Learning • Developmental Areas Assessed • Cognitive • Physical including vision/hearing • Communication • Social and Emotional • Adaptive Birth to 3

19. Eligibility Determination • Developmental Delay: • Is a clearly observable and measurable delay in one or more developmental areas. • Shall be at a level that the infant or toddler’s future success in home, school, or community cannot be assured without the provision of early intervention services. Birth to 3

20. Eligibility Determination Cont’d • High probability for Developmental Delay • Diagnosed by a physical or mental condition • The delay may or may not be exhibited at the time of diagnosis • Chromosomal Disorders • Prenatally acquired infections (HIV) • Neurological Disorders (cleft palate, spina bifida) • Severe attachment disorders • Medically fragile • Chronic medical illness (diabetes, cancer, heart problems, renal failure, etc) Birth to 3

21. IFSP Development Birth to 3

22. IFSP Outcomes • Are based on the family’s priorities • Are developed through a team process • Are meaningful to families • Are worded in ways that are understood by families Birth to 3

23. Planning TransitionPart C/FITP to Part B/EEE At least 6 months prior to the child’s third birthday the host agency will notify the school district At least 90 days prior to the child’s third birthday a transition meeting which includes school district representatives (EEE teacher, SLP, OT) IEP has been developed and is being implemented by the child’s third birthday Special Education Form 6 shall be used to obtain parental consent for placement into EEE as well as for the initial provision of services. Birth to 3

24. Part B Children 3 thru 21 years of age who have been determined eligible for special education services are entitled to a Free and Appropriate Public Education within a Least Restrictive Environment Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) 2004

25. Vermont’s Part B Program Essential Early Education (EEE) 3 to 5.11 years of age

26. Essential Early Education (EEE) 61 Supervisory Unions Over 250 School Districts 3 up to 6

27. EEE Eligibility of Children3 years up to the 6th birthday • A child shall be eligible for EEE if the child meets at least one of the following: • Transitions from a Family Infant Toddler Program; • Has a medical condition such as Autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD that is diagnosed by a licensed physician which may result in significant delays by the child’s 6th birthday and the child is in need of special education; • An evaluation planning team (EPT) finds the child has a disability caused by a developmental delay; • Meets the eligibility criteria for children 6-21; must demonstrate adverse effect under this determination.

28. Developmental Delay Defined • A child may be determined eligible in one or more of the following areas: • Receptive and/or expressive communication • Adaptive development • Social or emotional development • Physical development including gross/fine motor • Cognitive skills

29. Developmental Delay Cont’d • Developmental Delay is determined through an evaluation that consists of two assessments (one must be norm referenced). The results indicate that: • Child demonstrates a 40% delay in one or more of the developmental areas, OR • Child demonstrates a 2 standard deviations (SD) below the mean in one developmental area, OR • Child demonstrates a 1.5 SD below the mean in TWO or more of the five developmental areas

30. Individual Education Program (IEP) • For preschoolers, the IEP addresses how the child’s disability affects his or her participation in developmentally appropriate activities. • Contains a description of all special education services, related services the special education program all accommodations necessary for the child to progress. • IEP team members include: • Parents • LEA representative • EEE teacher/coordinator • Preschool teacher if child participates into preschool/childcare setting • Part C service coordinator or rep if the child is transitioning from FITP

31. Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) • 2361.2 Education Placement in the Least Restrictive Environment • Determined at least annually • Based on the child’s IEP • In as close proximity as possible to the child’s home • Based on consideration of community based early care and education settings such as childcare, or Head Start.

32. PlanningTransition EEE to Kindergarten IEP team shall meet three to six months prior to your child’s entrance into kindergarten. In addition to the current IEP team members which include the parents, the following shall be invited to attend the transition meeting: receiving kindergarten teacher, special educator, or Elementary school (LEA) representative (e.g., principal, special services director, SLP)

34. VT Department of Education EARLY EDUCATION TEAM CONTACTS EEE- Kate Rogers 802-828-5115 Kate.rogers@state.vt.us EEI- Jim Squires 802-828-3892 Jim.squires@state.vt.us Prof. Dev./ HEC- Manuela Fonseca 802-828-3850 Manuela.fonseca@state.vt.us Even Start- Wendy Ross Wendy.ross@state.vt.us Family, Infant & Toddler Program- Helen Keith 802-241-3110 Helen.keith@ahs.state.vt.us