Educational Performance for PreK Children - Proposed Guiding Practices Statement

What constitutes “adverseeffect on educational performance” for preschool children?

Educational performance for preschool children consists of an integrated series of functional skills that allows them to engage in age appropriate activities and daily routines. These skills cross developmental domains and are observed by multiple people, using multiple sources of information over time.

A young child’s educational performance may be adversely affected by a condition or delay that impairs his/her ability to consistently progress in developing age appropriate functional skills and behaviors, specifically, 1) developing positive social emotional skills, 2) acquiring and using knowledge and skills, and 3) taking action to meet his/her needs. Adverse effect should be documented across settings by multiple people through multiple sources of information.

In the event that a preschool child is performing at age level expectation and is receiving specific instructional adaptations or supportive services, including modifications to the general education curriculum, the team charged with making eligibility determination still could determine the child’s delay or disability adversely affects the child’s educational performance because the child could not progress satisfactorily in the absence of the supportive services or modifications 34 CRF 300.101(c).

What constitutes “specialized instruction” for preschool children?

Specially designed instruction means adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child under this part, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the unique needs of the child that result from the child's disability and to ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can meet the early learning guidelines or other age-appropriate expectations that apply to all children (adapted from Part B Regulation 300.39(b)(3) within the jurisdiction of the public agency.

North Carolina Stakeholders for Guiding Practices Definitions: Janet Godbold (Wake Co Schools), Blanche Stevens (Winston/Forsyth Co Schools), Brenda Little (Stokes Co Schools), Linda Dalton and Jill Basnight (Cumberland Co Schools), Susan Travers ( Buncombe Co Schools), Renee Johnson (Edgecombe Co Schools), AnneMarie de-Kort Young (OEL/DPI), Trish Mengel (NECTAC), Vivian James (OEL/DPI) Eileen Davison (EC/DPI), Jody Koon (OEL/DPI), and Tom Winton (EC/DPI)

National Technical Assistance Reviewers: Edits to NC definitions – based on phone conversation 12/19/08 Present on the call: Kathy Hebbeler, Sharon Walsh, Trish Mengel, Lynne Kahn, Christina Kasprzak, Robin Rooney