LRE for 3, 4,

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LRE for 3, 4, 5 Year-Old Children in Connecticut

• Maria Synodi, 619 Coordinator
• Connecticut State Department of Education
• Seventh National Early Childhood Inclusion
  Institute
• July 28th to August 2nd, 2007

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State Performance Plan(SPP)Monitoring Priority
FAPE in the LRE

• Indicator 6 Percent of preschool children with
  Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) who
  receive special education and related services in
  settings with typically developing peers
• (e.g., early childhood settings, home, and
  part-time early childhood/part-time early
  childhood special education settings).
• (20 U.S.C. 1416(a)(3)(A))

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Lay of the Land

• Small state
• Approximately 8,000 eligible children
• 169 towns, 160 school districts
• Public schools hub for services
• Integrated early childhood programs
• Majority eligible children in Kindergarten

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SPP Baseline Data 2004-05
Early Childhood Environments Percent
Early Childhood 22.1
Integrated (Reverse Mainstream) 21.7
Itinerant Services 17.2
Part-Time EC, Part-Time ECSE 18.8
Home 0.1
Early Childhood Special Education 19.3
Separate School 0.0
Residential Facility 0.7
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SPP Baseline Targets

• Measurable and Rigorous Targets
• Baseline 61.0
• 2005(2005-2006)64 2006(2006-2007)67
  2007(2007-2008)70 2008(2008-2009)74
  2009(2009-2010)77 2010(2010-2011)77

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SPP Activities 2005 to Present

• Training and Technical Assistance
• General Supervision
• Focused Monitoring
• Incentives, Supports
• Parent Training
• Pre-Service, Higher Education
• Policies, Procedures
• Universal Preschool Efforts
• Facility, Bonding

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SPP Activities Training TA

• Skills, Knowledge Competencies
• State Education Resource Center (SERC)
• Connecticut Charts A Course Inclusive Child
  Care Training
• Blended EC, ECSE activities
• Focus on access to the general education
  curriculum
• Special initiatives children with ASD,
  Challenging Behavior, RtI
• CSPD
• Using Nation TA Centers, Resources
  Evidence-Based Practices

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SPP Activities Higher Education

• Quality Personnel
• Working with 2- and 4-year higher education
  institutions
• Working towards articulated agreement that
  includes content in inclusive education
• Reviewing, revising certification for EC, ECSE
  personnel
• CSPD

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SPP Activities Incentives

• Quality General Ed Environment
• NAEYC Accreditation Project
• Opportunities for technical assistance aligned
  with improvement plans
• Waiving fees to attend professional development
• Special projects On-site coaching model
• Using Nation TA Centers Evidence-Based
  Practices, National Resources

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SPP Activities Parent Training

• Informed Families
• Working with PTI on 3-part training series
• Focus on families transitioning from Birth-3 and
  those whose children would be entering
  kindergarten
• Waiving parent fees at training opportunities
  offered
• Embedded in P.J. Settlement

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SPP Activities Policies, Procedures

• Foundation State Practices
• Reviewing state policies, procedures
• Addressing health, immunizations requirements 1
  state form for universe of programs and public
  schools
• Revising data training, directions
• Revising IEP form and manual

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SPP Activities General Supervision

• Quality of IEP Program
• Monitoring school districts to ensure that
  placement decisions are made on an individual
  basis in conformity with 34 CFR sections 300.550
  through 300.556 and that decisions regarding
  educational placements are not based upon any
  numerical target established by the state
• File reviews, checklists, observing childrens
  programs
• Complaints, P.J. Settlement Agreement (LRE)

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SPP Activities Focused Monitoring

• State Focused Monitoring Priority
• Used 3-5 6-21 data to identify school districts
• School districts were identified based upon their
  data data based TWNDP
• Posting state data maps
• Posting special education profiles data
• Some districts received on-site intensive review,
  submission of improvement plan

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SPP Activities Universal Pre-K

• All For 1 and 1 For All
• Ensuring that the states work for universal
  preschool includes children with disabilities
• PCF and PAF training, coaching
• Recognition and Response Initiative
• Quality Standards Including Children with
  Disabilities

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The Preschool Years

• Creating a caring community of learners
• Teaching to enhance development and learning
• Constructing appropriate curriculum
• Assessing childrens learning and development
• Establishing relationships with families and
  children

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Departments OutcomesPreschool Education for All
Students

• Outcomes
• more children will participate in high-quality,
  state-funded preschool programs, and there will
  be greater access to high-quality preschool
  programs statewide
• more teachers will have specialized credentials
  in early childhood education and the skills and
  knowledge to provide a high-quality preschool
  education
• all preschool programs will include a rigorous
  curriculum and an assessment system aligned to
  Connecticuts Preschool Curriculum Framework and
  Preschool Assessment Framework

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SPP Activities Facilities

• Space, Environments
• Facility and bonding dollars from State Education
• Connecticut Health and Education Financing
  Authority (CHEFA) loans, bonding for EC
  programs
• Quality space, use of State SR dollars
• Licensing, ECERS, development rating scale

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And Now? The APR

• Moved to new data categories for educational
  environments for children 3-5
• Reset baseline and targets
• Reviewed and maintained current activities
• Getting ready for February 2008

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Questions?
Thank You