Local District Preschool Inclusion Self-AssessmentBased on the ED and HHS Policy Statement

Local Early childhood leaders can serve as community-wide leaders for inclusion, by convening a diverse coalition of inclusion champions who can implement a culture of inclusion across the entire community.The purpose of this tool is to provide a framework for discussion that promotes partnerships to benefit young children with disabilities and their families. As the team considers each item, reflect on experiences working together to provide services to young children and families. All voices are important to moving your partnership forward. Once you have completed the tool, decide which item(s) you want to work on to promote inclusion. Regular early childhood programs are defined as programs specifically designed for typically developing children such as Head Start, State Pre-Kindergarten, Title I Preschool, Childcare, etc.
  1. Not yet
  2. In Process/ Partially implemented
  3. In Place/ Fully implemented
/ Evidence
What does it look like? / Comments
Next steps
1. / 2. / 3.
1. Partnering with Families (Programs means early childhood school and community programs)
1a. Do your programs intentionally plan and assess how they are partnering with all families?
1b. Are all families are knowledgeable about the benefits of inclusion and understand their rights and how to navigate the systems that serve their children?
1c. Do your programs connect families to the parent training and information centers, and provide specific resources on:
  • Inclusion in early childhood programs
  • Individualized supports and services
  • The continuum of placement options available to meet their child’s unique needs?

1d. Is this information available and accessible to all families, including those with limited English proficiency?
1e. Are families included in policy development, advocacy efforts, and public information initiatives, including inclusion forums and conferences?
1f. Do teachers have ongoing conversations with families on their children’s learning and development, information on developmental screening and child assessment, ask for their perspectives on their children’s strengths and needs, and connect them to additional services and supports?
1g. Do your programs build staff capacity in family engagement, including respecting and incorporating families’ cultures, preferences, and priorities into children’s learning?
1h. Do your programs ensure that administrative, custodial, and other support staff understand the program’s culture of inclusion and interface with families respectfully and compassionately?
1i. Do your programs provide continuous professional development on forming strong goal-oriented relationships with families that are linked to their child’s development, learning, and wellness?
2. Adhering to Legal Provision of Supports and Services in Inclusive Settings with IFSPs/IEPs
2a. Do your programs review their IFSP/IEP processes to ensure that natural environments and inclusive settings are meaningfully discussed for each child asthe first option?
2b. Are individual goals and outcomes written so they can be met with the provision of services and supports in inclusive settings?
2c.Are early childhood teachers, child development specialists, and related services providers, included on IFSP teams, with parent permission?
2d. Do teachers understand children’s goals, strategies to meet goals, and their role and the role of early childhood special educators, and related services providers in helping children reach their goals?
2d. Do teachers and providers understand how to access specialized services and supports as needed?
3. Assess and Improve the Quality of Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs
3a. Are children’s assessments paired with environmental assessments of their early childhood programs to ensure that there are appropriate accommodations and supports to reach their goals?
3b. Do your programs use assessments of access and participation layered on existing environmental assessments?
3c. Do program assessments guide TA and professional development efforts?
3d. Do all early childhood programs, including school programs participate in the state QRIS?
4. Review and Modify Resource Allocation
4a.Are IDEA Parts B and C funds used to provide services in inclusive programs with typically developing peers to the maximum extent appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the IDEAfor every child, as appropriate?
4b. Are funds being allocated and partnerships formalized with community-based early childhood programs, to establish a mixed delivery system?
4c. Are resources being targeted to promote the use of evidence-based practices for the most effective child developmental outcomes?
4d. Are resources allocated to support some early childhood special educators shifting from full time teachers to providing consultative services to teachers?
4e. Are early childhood special education, related services providers, and other specialized providers providing consultative services to early childhood teachers, providers, and staff?
4f. Are we optimizing the distribution of specialized providers, materials, and equipment across early childhood programs?
4g. Are professional development resources being used to expand access to training and coaching, specific to supporting all children with disabilities, to all staff?
5. Enhance Professional Development (Please see related PD checklists)
5a. Do all staff have knowledge of culturally and linguistically responsive practice, positive attitudes and beliefs about inclusion and disability and a strong understanding of universal design in order to foster the development of all children?
5b. Are the necessary infrastructures and supports in place to enable continuous professional development and improvement of all leaders and staff?
5c. Is professional development in the area of inclusive early childhood programmingopen to local early childhood partners?
6. Establish an Appropriate Staffing Structure and Strengthen Staff Collaboration
6a. Have staffing structures been established that include staff collaboration and possible shifts in resources?
6b. Do programs where children with IFSPs/IEPs attend have supportfrom specialists, early childhood special educators, early childhood mental health consultants, and related services providers?
6c. Do specialists partner with teachers to observe, model and share strategies on an ongoing or periodic basis?
6d. Do programs, schools, and networks have a disability or inclusion coordinator, who oversees child goals, coordinates child services with other service providers, connects children and families with additional services as needed, and helps families navigate services?
6e. Is staff time allocated for coordination and collaboration between the professionals?
7. Ensure Access to Specialized Supports
7a. Do early childhood programs, schools, and family child care networks access to specialized supports delivered by experts?
7b. Is specialized support culturally and linguistically responsive to the diverse needs of providers, teachers, and the children and families whom they serve?
7c. Do the specialized support members work with early childhood staff to adapt the program’s environment, activities, and instructional support to promote full participation of children with disabilities?
7d. Do specialists assist schools and programs by conducting classroom observations and developing strategies to meet children’s goals?
7e. Are specialists and the services they provide coordinated so that each is aware of the goals, strategies, and progress of the others?
8. Develop Formal Collaborations with Community Partners
8a. Are formal agreements with community-based early childhood programs, in place to provide services in the LRE to children with disabilities in their district?
8b Do LEAs participate in establishing collaborative partnerships and formal agreements with community organizations that provide services to children with disabilities to ensure that Head Start and PDG programs meet their requirements?
8c. Have formal collaborations between public and private community partnersimproved screening, evaluation, referral systems, data sharing, and helped ensure children who need additional supports receive them as soon as possible?
8d. Have formal partnerships facilitated the use of Wrap-Around Services that involves providing intensive coordinated community based services designed to meet children’s specific social-emotional and behavioral health needs?
8e. Do you have formal agreements between early childhood programs, schools, and family child care networks that support alignment among the programs and help facilitate child transitions from inclusive early childhood programs to inclusive elementary school settings?
Next Steps
Analyze the self-assessment to determine where you want to begin to focus on improvement.
ECTA DaSy Systems Framework:The next page shows the relationship between the areas outlined in the ED and HHS Joint Inclusion Policy Guide and Self-Assessment and related ECTA and DaSy System Framework Components. Reviewing the related sections of the Systems Framework will assist in ensuring a solid foundation for building local communities that are intentionally inclusive.
Develop a Strategic Plan of Action collaboratively with your partners.