Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:

Thank you for the opportunity to discuss foundations for learning as that subject relates to children with disabilities. Research clearly shows the importance of early learning as a foundation for later success in school. This includes social/emotional, cognitive, language, and preliteracy skills. These areas are particularly important for children with disabilities who may face more challenges upon entering school compared to their nondisabled peers if early intervention services are not provided. I would like to use this occasion to discuss some of the research related to early intervention for children with disabilities, the benefits of early intervention, and some programs that address early childhood issues within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS).

Research on Early Intervention

The 2000 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) study, "From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development," found that, from birth to age 5, children rapidly develop foundational capabilities on which further development builds. It further found that this development is influenced by the interplay between genetics and experience, that structured intervention can affect the probability of achieving desirable results, and that early intervention services can improve the cognitive, social, and emotional development of environmentally and medically vulnerable young children. Studies of brain development indicate that cognitive ability is largely formed in a child's early years. The NAS study is consistent with this research, indicating that interventions need to occur as soon as a parent, primary caretaker, or physician first determines that an infant is not developing within typical developmental norms.

The NAS study, which was partially supported with Special Education funds, found that the prospects for children with significant delays in language and cognition, resulting in developmental disabilities and specific disorders, may be seriously limited if early detection and appropriate interventions are not provided. Early intervention services contribute to the healthy development and future well-being of infants and toddlers with disabilities. The NAS study also emphasized the need to link early intervention with social welfare and other social service systems. This is fully consistent with the goals of the Department's Grants for Infants and Families program (Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)) to develop statewide coordinated, comprehensive, multidisciplinary, interagency systems of early intervention services.

Early Intervention—OSERS is conducting a National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study (NEILS) focusing on families with children from birth to 31 months of age at point of entry into the early intervention system. NEILS is funded through a set-aside for studies and evaluations under our State Grants programs. It is assessing the Grants for Infants and Families program over a 5-year period, including an evaluation of the program's impact on children, families, and service providers. The study will include an examination of what results participating children and families experience and how these results relate to variations in child and family characteristics and services provided.

Thus far, the NEILS study has examined developmental characteristics, age of entry and reasons why children are eligible for services, and parental satisfaction with services. Subsequent reports will examine the relationships between these factors and results data related to the child and family. At this point, little is known about the relationship between the various types of early intervention services and results experienced by children with disabilities. Subsequent analyses from NEILS also will examine the utility of various systems and system features and the relationship of these variables to child and family outcomes and their implications for the delivery of services.

Autism Research—The Department also supported the work of the National Research Council to form a Committee on Educational Interventions for Children with Autism. The Committee's charge was to integrate the scientific, theoretical, and policy literature and to develop a framework for evaluating the scientific evidence on the effects and components of interventions for children birth to age 8 with autism. The Committee's report, "Educating Children with Autism," was released by the National Academy of Sciences in 2001. In order to achieve optimal results for young children, the Committee recommended early identification and intervention for all children suspected of having autism or any of the autism spectrum disorders. The focus of effective interventions should be on functional spontaneous communication, social instruction, cognitive and play skills development, and approaches to prevent behavior problems.

One of the studies cited in the Committee's report was completed by the research team of Dawson and Osterling. Their 1997 meta-analysis of eight intervention studies found that, despite somewhat diverse intervention strategies, all of the early intervention programs were effective in fostering subsequent positive school placements, significant developmental gains, or both, for a substantial percentage of the participating children. While questions are still being investigated regarding the relative efficacy of one intervention over another, or the intensity of services needed to promote positive results, the research indicated positive results for all of the early intervention methods assessed.

Reading Interventions—In 2001, the University of Kansas completed a study on estimating the risk of future reading difficulties in kindergarten children that has implications for the prevention, identification, and remediation of reading disabilities. The study examined kindergarten predictors of second grade reading outcomes. Findings indicated that five kindergarten variables uniquely predicted reading outcomes in second grade. These were letter identification, sentence imitation, phonological awareness, rapid naming, and the mother's education. The research indicates that increased attention to these variables might help educators to identify children at risk for reading failure at an early age, when interventions may have maximum effect in diminishing future reading problems. Attention to scientifically-based interventions prior to reading failure may help reduce the number of children referred for special education services simply because they are experiencing reading difficulties and help distinguish those children who merely have reading difficulties from those who have learning disabilities.

Family Involvement—In 2001, the Society for Research in Child Development released findings from the Early Intervention Collaborative Study, a longitudinal investigation of the cognitive and adaptive behavior development of children with developmental disabilities and how that is affected by the adaptation of their parents to the child's disability. The study found that both child and family factors affect the development of children with disabilities, and that a child's development appears to be enhanced or diminished by the context in which he or she learns and is nurtured, especially in the areas of communication, cognition, and social skills. The effects of these family processes become most evident in the middle childhood period. For example, children in the sample, including children with a range of disabilities, whose parents reported higher levels of family relatedness (e.g., a sense of connectedness and expressiveness) when the children were 3 years old displayed greater gains in their social skills through age 10. This research supports a central theme of the Infants and Families program and its authorizing legislation, which is family involvement, support of the family, and family-centered practices.

Programs that Address Early Childhood Issues within OSERS

The Grants for Infants and Families Program provides formula grants to States to assist them in implementing statewide systems of coordinated, comprehensive, multidisciplinary, interagency programs to make available early intervention services to children with disabilities, aged birth through 2, and their families. The Administration is requesting $437 million for this program for fiscal year 2003, an increase of $20 million, or 4.8 percent, above the fiscal year 2002 appropriation level. This increase reflects this Administration's commitment to early intervention and equal opportunity for children with disabilities. By addressing disabilities at the earliest point practical, it is possible to reduce the effect of the disability and potentially lessen the need for more intensive services later on. The Department believes that the investment in children made through this program results in important long-term gains in the intellectual, social, and adaptive behavior of children with disabilities. The increase for this program will help to ensure that children are prepared to enter school ready to learn and is an important part of the Department's strategy for ensuring that no child is left behind.

The Department also supports quality preschool programs through the Grants to States and Preschool Grants programs (Part B and Section 619 of IDEA). The $8.53 billion requested for the Grants to States program represents a $1 billion, or 13.3 percent, increase over the fiscal year 2002 appropriation and will be used to help States provide a free appropriate public education for children with disabilities aged 3 through 21. In addition, the request includes $390 million for the Preschool Grants program, which supplements funds provided under Grants to States for children with disabilities aged 3 through 5. Funding under Preschool Grants supports early childhood programs that provide services needed to prepare young children with disabilities to enter and succeed in school.

OSERS Grants for Early Intervention Related to Mental Health

Increasing numbers of infants, toddlers, and preschool children experience, or are at risk for, behavioral problems that affect their participation, performance, and development in natural environments and inclusive educational and community settings. Families and caregivers seek assistance from diverse, and often multiple sources, including child welfare, public health, and mental health services; pediatricians; preschools; and early care and intervention programs. There have been limited opportunities for these agencies and providers to collaborate across agencies and disciplines to identify effective practices for young children with, or at risk for, behavioral problems and their families. For this reason, the Department is supporting a Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behaviors, ages birth to 6. The Center is a national collaboration of researchers and organizations committed to the development, dissemination, and utilization of practical knowledge related to effective intervention and prevention of challenging behaviors in young children. The Center's goals are to raise awareness of positive, evidence-based practices, increase the implementation of those practices, and conduct research to enhance the database of practical, positive, scientifically-based practices.

Developmental and Behavioral Interventions—If developmental delays are not addressed by appropriately trained personnel during the early years, a range of learning and behavioral problems may be more likely to occur later in school. Alternatively, early identification and effective interventions—in social, emotional, behavioral, communication, and pre-literacy domains—can prevent or reduce the impact of specific disabilities. To address these developmental issues, the Department is supporting a Research and Training Center on Early Childhood Development designed to translate the knowledge base on young children's early relationships, emotional, self regulatory, and social development, and environmental factors into effective strategies that establish a foundation for school success. The Center will demonstrate and evaluate these strategies and implement effective training and dissemination efforts targeted on improving early childhood services and strengthening the capacity of families to support the healthy development of their children.

Transitions to Early Education Programs—The National Center for Education Statistics is conducting a major longitudinal study of the progress of preschool children, from nine months of age through the first grade. OSERS is supplementing funding for the "Early Childhood Longitudinal Study: Birth Cohort" study in order to develop and adapt instruments to address issues related to infants and toddlers with disabilities, identify accommodations that will permit children with disabilities and their families to participate in the study, and support the inclusion of items in the data collections that will allow better identification of children with disabilities and the programs and services they receive. The longitudinal nature of the study will enable researchers to study children's physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth and to relate trajectories of growth and change to variation in children's experiences.

With the exception of NEILS, the studies and research and training centers discussed above are supported by Special Education, Research and Innovation program funds, for which the Administration has requested $78.38 million for fiscal year 2003. The investment in National Activities programs such as Research and Innovation is critical to enhancing the use of scientifically-based research and practices, improving the knowledge base and disseminating this information, and providing the training, technical assistance, and support necessary to implement state-of-the-art programs and build capacity in the States to improve results for children with disabilities.

To summarize, the Department believes that early childhood services are a sound investment that help ensure that children with disabilities receive the skills and training they need to fully participate in the educational process. Through our various programs, we are actively engaged in ensuring that this occurs.

I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

This page last modified—August 2, 2006.