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ONECONOMIC COLLABORATIONECEARLY CHILDHOOD

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ENVIRONMENTS considerations

Economic Collaborations to Promote Preschool Inclusion

Inclusion Institute – May 2011

Intended Outcomes• Consider the defining features of inclusion (access,

participation, and supports) from the DEC/NAEYC joint position statement as a means focusing on potential economic collaboration opportunities in state or community contexts.

• Examine the national context: what states and communities are doing, salient guidance, and other available resources.

• Identify opportunities and challenges within community/state contexts.

• Opportunities to apply information gained.

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THE DEFINING FEATURES

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DEC/NAEYC Joint Definition of EC Inclusion

Early childhood inclusion embodies the values, policies, and practices that support the right of

every infant and young child and his or her family, regardless of ability, to participate in a broad range

of activities and contexts as full members of families, communities, and society. The desired results of inclusive experiences for children with

and without disabilities and their families include a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and

learning to reach their full potential.

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DEC/NAEYC Defining Features of Inclusion

AccessParticipation

Supports

Access means providing a wide range of activities and environments for every child by removing physical barriers and offering multiple ways to promote learning and development.

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DEC/NAEYC Defining Features of Inclusion

Access

ParticipationSupports

Participation means using a range of instructional approaches to promote engagement in play and learning activities, and a sense of belonging for every child.

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Access

Participation

Supports

Supports refer to broader aspects of the system such as professional development, incentives for inclusion, and opportunities for communication and collaboration among families and professionals to assure high quality inclusion.

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DEC NAEYC Defining Features of Inclusion

Current Context = Need for Economic Collaboration

• Importance of early childhood development

• Importance of quality early learning opportunities

• Disparity in access to opportunities

• Current Economic Climate

– Cutbacks in federal and state funding

– Increased accountability

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High Quality

Programs

• Child Development Center or Child Care Program

• Early Head Start / Head Start• Public or Private Preschool/Prekindergarten • Public or Private Kindergarten

Working Within and Among Systems

10Adapted from NCCIC Collaboration Framework

RELATIONSHIPS

Working Within and Among Systems

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Communication an

d Context

Practice

Regulation

INFLUENCES

Working Within and Among Systems

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Defining Features

Funding Strategies Variables

Considerations for Decision-making

Working Within and Among Systems

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Defining Features

Funding StrategiesVariables

Communication an

d Context

Practice

Regulation

Cooperation/Coordination/Collaboration/Partnership

• Increase the efficient use of resources

• Increase coordination

• Reduce administrative costs and burden

• Reduce duplication

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Your Current ContextPOTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS: Consider who also serves young children and their families?CONSIDERING YOUR CURRENT PRACTICE:Think about those you communicate with? What formal and informal communications are part of your work?

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IDEA Title I

Federal Education Federal Health & Human Services

Head Start

Child Care

TANF

State Education Funds

IDEA Services

Private Pay

State Pre-K Funds

Foundation Funds

Classrooms may be funded by Head Start, IDEA, Title I, State

Pre-K, Local Funds, Foundations, Private Pay, or combinations of resources.

Funding Sources: Supporting Young Children with Disabilities

KEY: Solid lines to direct funders; dotted lines to possible funders. Prepared by NECTAC, May 2011

Medicaid & S-Chip

High QualityPrograms

Even Start

Local Education Funds

IDEA Services and Supports may be provided in

preschool classrooms, child care, the home and/or

other locations.

Economic Collaboration Strategies

• Knowledge of Funding Parameters• Joint Financing Strategies• In-kind Contributions• Shared Resources

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Economic CollaborationVariables

• Facilities• Equipment• Materials• Transportation• Shared roles• Joint training• Administrative support

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Unified, Seamless Services = Blended Programs

Children are together in a particular program.

Funding for each child is specific to eligibility for particular programs and/or services.

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Braiding FundsSeparate categorical funding streams are braided together to support unified, seamless services.

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Specific to Each Funding Stream:•ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Age of child, family income, special needs

• PROGRAM REQUIREMENTSStaff qualifications, teacher/child ratio

• FLOW AND ADMINISTRATIONFederal to local, federal to state, subsidies

to families, fiscal years

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Regulations

Legislation Influencing Inclusion

Civil rights laws

– Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973–bans discrimination on the basis of

disability by recipients of federal funds

– Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990Amended 2010 - provides for equal rights to

public accommodations

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Title 34 Part 104 – Nondiscrimination on the basis of handicap

• Handicapped person• has a physical or mental impairment which

substantially limits one or more major life activities,

• has a record of such an impairment, or• is regarded as having such an impairment.

• Applies to preschool• Comparable facilities

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Legislation Influencing Inclusion

Legislation Influencing Inclusion

Entitlement to Services– Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

provides specified services by right to eligible persons with disabilities; reauthorized in 2004

– Head Start Act – amended in 2007

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A continuum of alternative placements is available

To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities are educated with children who are nondisabled

Placement decisions are based on the unique needs of each child, by the IEP team

Placement determined at least annually, is based on the child's individualized education program (IEP), and be as close as possible to the child's home.

2534 CFR §300.116

IDEA Funding Regulations

IDEA Funding Regulations

Supplementing and Supplanting• Special Education funds must be used to

supplement and increase the level of federal, state and local funds expended for special education and related services provided to children with disabilities and in no case to supplant those federal, state, and local funds.

(34 CFR 300.202)

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Maintenance of Effort (MOE)• LEA’s must spend…..at least the same amount……

as the LEA spent for that purpose the (previous year)

Excess Cost • Funds MAY NOT be used for cost items used by all

students• Funds MAY be used for

– Adapted furniture/equipment, software– Services and aids that benefit students with

disabilities in general ed classroom, even if nondisabled students receive incidental benefit 27

IDEA Funding Regulations

THE NATIONAL CONTEXT

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Utilization of Strategies for Economic Collaboration

Survey of 619 Coordinators January 2011 N=19 29

State Level District Level

Not at all A little Sometimes Frequently

Collaborative Use of Funds

• Professional development• Placement opportunities • Personnel (e.g. teacher, teacher assistant, therapist)• Facility space • Equipment, materials, or supplies • Transportation • Playground adaptations/improvements• Facility adaptations/improvements

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Facilitators of Economic Collaboration

DISTRICT LEVEL•Administrative structures and processes•Philosophy and relationships

•Active collaboration with community partners

•Ability to share resources

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STATE LEVEL •Interagency collaboration/ coordination of projects and policies

•Professional development

•Strategies, policies and requirements for districts

Barriers to Economic Collaboration

STATE LEVEL

•Limited interagency collaboration

•Limited capacity and access to programs

•Monitoring, licensing and credentialing

•Lack of support for early childhood programs

DISTRICT LEVEL

•Philosophy for instructional approach and program design

•Personnel issues

•Limited resources and supports

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YOUR OWN CONTEXT: ACTIVITY

1. What collaborations are currently possible in

your context?

2. What are FACILITATORS in within your context?

3. What BARRIERS exist?

4. What might be possible through potential

collaborations?

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www.nectac.org

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APPLYING INFORMATION

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Working Within and Among Systems

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Defining Features

Funding StrategiesVariables

Communication an

d Context

Practice

Regulation

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1. Read the description of the child.2. For this example, consider •Relationship•Influences•Considerations for Decision-Making

•Defining Features of Inclusion

Angel • Angel will be 5 years old in the summer.

• He attends his neighborhood church preschool 2 days a week.

• His family would like to have attended the same private preschool as his brother and sister.

• The preschool teacher would like to know how to include Angel in learning activities.

• Angel has an IEP that includes speech/language services.

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1. Read the description of the child.

2. For this example, consider • Relationship• Influences• Considerations for

Decision-Making • Defining Features of

Inclusion

Sean Sean is 4 years old. He likes to play with other children.

•It’s hard for others to understand him.

•He gets frustrated when he’s not able to get his point across which leads to frequent conflicts (such as, taking toys from others, pushing, or stomping off in an angry way).

•He is eligible for special education services, including speech/language therapy.

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1. Read the description of the child.

2. For this example, consider • Relationship• Influences• Considerations for

Decision-Making • Defining Features of

Inclusion

Stacia

Stacia will soon be turning 3 years old.•Both of her parents work full time.•She has been found eligible for special education.•She uses a wheelchair.

•Educational support is needed related to general knowledge and skills.

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1. Read the description of the child.

2. For this example, consider • Relationship• Influences• Considerations for

Decision-Making • Defining Features of

Inclusion

JamieJamie is 3 years old.•He has a diagnosis of autism.•He shows little interest in playing with other children. •He will often repeat what others say. •He will stay near other children, and watch what they are doing.•He has never attended any early childhood program.•His parents have made a referral for special education.

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1. Read the description of the child.

2. For this example, consider • Relationship• Influences• Considerations for

Decision-Making • Defining Features of

Inclusion

Continuous Improvement• What worked well for you about this session?• What suggestions do you have for improving

this session?• What questions do you have?• What resources might be helpful to you?

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Resources• National Early Childhood

Technical Assistance Center www.nectac.org

• National Child Care Information Center www.nccic.org

• The Finance Project www.financeproject.org

• DEC-NAEYC Position on Early

Childhood Inclusion http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_EC_updatedKS.pdf

Technical Assistance SpecialistsKaty McCullough

katy.mccullough@unc.edu Mary Louise Peters

mary.peters@unc.edu

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