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Inclusion
ED & HHS Release Policy Statement on Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs
The “Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs,” released jointly by the Departments of Education (ED) and Health and Human Services (HHS) on September 14, 2015, states that all young children with disabilities should have access to inclusive high-quality early childhood programs, where they are provided with individualized and appropriate support in meeting high expectations.
Children with disabilities and their families continue to face significant barriers to accessing inclusive high-quality early childhood programs, and too many preschool children with disabilities are only offered the option of receiving special education services in settings separate from their peers without disabilities.
The ED/HHS policy statement:
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Sets an expectation for high-quality inclusion in early childhood programs;
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Highlights the legal and research base for inclusion;
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Identifies challenges to adopting inclusive practices;
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Provides recommendations to states and local programs and providers for increasing inclusive early learning opportunities for all children; and
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Links to free resources for states, local programs and providers, and families that have been developed to support inclusion of children with disabilities in high-quality early education programs.
The policy statement was written with the input of early learning professionals, families, and other early learning stakeholders. Though it focuses on including young children with disabilities, it is ED’s and HHS’s shared vision that all people be meaningfully included in all facets of society throughout the course of their lives. This begins in early childhood programs and continues into schools, places of employment, and the broader community.
Download:
Letter by Secretaries Duncan and Burwell on Inclusion in Early Learning Programs
Inclusion News
View the April 14th Inclusion Webinar
The Department of Education's Office of Early Learning hosted a webinar: "Early Childhood Inclusion: Implementation of the State Recommendations." The webinar included representatives from Maryland, Vermont and Massachusetts who discused the implementation of high-quality inclusion programs in their states and how they are supporting local programs.
Watch the Feb. 18th National Inclusion Webinar
Preschool Inclusion: What's the Evidence, What Gets in the Way, and What do High-Quality Programs Look Like?
Phil Strain from the University of Colorado, Denver, shared an overview of the research supporting early childhood inclusion.
Watch here.
OSERS Michael Yudin Visits an Inclusive Early Learning Program in Houston, Texas
"How do we make sure that kids with disabilities get the same kinds of opportunities that kids without disabilities get? The opportunity to learn and develop and thrive alongside their peers in the general curriculum gives them the best foot forward in life."
Read an article about OSERS Assistant Secretary Michael Yudin's visit to the Bertha Alyce Early Childhood School in Houston, Tex., where he met with teachers, administrators and, of course, students to discuss the importance of early learning, particularly those with high needs.
Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs—Watch the Webinar Series Kickoff
The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services hosted a February 11th Google Hangout for a discussion about inclusion in early childhood programs and why it matters to states, early childhood programs, families, and young children with and without disabilities. Speakers included leadership from federal early childhood programs, a local program director, and the parent of a child with a disability.
