REPORTING EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN WITH

DISABILITIES

AGES 3-5

November 1, 2006

Mary Schertz, Consultant

Iowa Department of Education

Part B, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

• Implementation of FAPE Requirements

• Child Count Data for 2006

• Authorization: P.L. 108-446, Section 618 (a)(1)(A)(ii), Section 618 (a)(1)(A)(iii), and Section 618(a)(3);34CFR§§300.460,340.640, 300.642(b),300.645

WHEN?

• All staffings beginning November 6, 2006

• Determine new setting codes for all staffings that have occurred since July 1, 2006

WHO?

• All 3 – 5 year olds receiving ECSE services, including support services only

DECISION FACTORS?

• What are the decision rules in determining which environment to use when reporting each child?

Integrated Settings

• Is the child attending an early childhood program that is designed for children without disabilities and includes at least 50% non-disabled children?

• Head Start, Kindergarten, Reverse Mainstream Classrooms, Private preschool, LEA preschool, Childcare center

• Is his/her IEP implemented in that setting?

Reverse Mainstream Classrooms

• Feds now recognize• Iowa is not encouraging• May be appropriate but only for a VERY

LIMITED TIME• Research tells us that there is less social

interaction in reverse integration programs which could effect children’s social/emotional skills as reflected in ECO (Guralnick & Groom, 1998)

Calculating Time in EC Programs

• % of time the child spends in a regular EC program

• Numerator: number of minutes per month the child spends in a regular EC program

• Denominator: total number of minutes per month the child spends in a regular EC program plus minutes per month spent receiving ECSE instructional and related services outside the EC program

Calculating Time

• Number of minutes per month the child spends in a regular EC program

• _________________________________• Number of minutes per month the child

spends in a regular EC program + number of minutes per month child receives ECSE instructional & related services outside the EC program

TIME FACTORS

• 60 Minutes per Hour

• 5 Days per Week

• 20 Days per Month

• 4 Weeks per Month

A 1 Example

• Child is in a regular early childhood program at least 80% of the time

• Example: Child attends Little Lambs preschool 6 hours/week (360 minutes/wk or 1440 min/month) where his/her IEP is being implemented. Child also receives speech/language services at the local elementary school for 1 hour/week (60 min/week or 240 min/month)

A1 Calculation

• # of minutes/month in regular education: 1440

• # of minutes/month receiving ECSE services: 1680

• Calculate percentage: 1440÷1680=86%

A1 Example #2

• Child attends Caring Hands Child Care Center 50 hours per week. The IEP is being implemented during the mornings – 20 hours per week (1200 min/week, 4800 min/month). The child receives speech/language services 3 hours/month (180 min/month) during the afternoon at the center.

A1 # 2 Calculation

• # of minutes per month in regular ed setting: 4980

• # of minutes per month receiving ECSE services: 4980

• 4980÷4980=1 x 100 = 100%

A 2 Example

• Child is in the regular early childhood program 40% to 70% of the time

• Example: Child attends ABC Preschool 7 hours/week (420 min/week and 1680 min/month) and receives special education instructional services and speech/language services in that setting. S/he also attends an LEA ECSE classroom 4 hours/week 240 min/ week, 960 min/month).

A2 Calculation

• # of minutes per month in regular education: 960

• # of minutes per month receiving ECSE services: 1680

• 960 ÷1680=57%

A2 Example #2

• Child attends Apple Tree Preschool 5 hours per week (300 min/week, 1200 min/month) where the IEP is being implemented.

• S/he receives speech/language services 1 hr/week (60 min/week, 240 min/month) at the local elementary school

• S/he receives physical therapy services 1 hr/week (60 min/week, 240 min/month) at the AEA office

• S/he receives occupational therapy services 1 hr/month (60 min/month) at the AEA office

A2 #2 Calculation

• # of minutes per month in regular education: 1200

• # of minutes per month receiving ECSE services: 1740

• 1200 ÷ 1740 = 69%

A 3 Example

• Child is in the regular early childhood program less than 40% of the time

• Child attends Charlie Brown Child Care Center 7 hours per week (420 min/week, 1680 min/month) where the IEP is being implemented. S/he also attends the LEA ECSE program 30 hours/week (1800 min/week, 7200 min/month). Physical therapy is offered in the home 1 hour per month (60 min/month).

A3 Calculation

• # of minutes per month in regular education: 1680

• # of minutes per month receiving ECSE services: 8940

• 1680÷8940=19%

A3 #2 Example

• The child attends a Shared Visions program 5 hours per week (300 min/week, 1200 min/month). S/he also attends the district’s ECSE classroom 25 hours per week (1500 min/week, 6000 min/month). The IEP is being implemented in both settings.

A3 #2 Calculation

• # of minutes per month in regular ed: 1200

• # of minutes per month receiving ECSE

services: 6000

• 1200 ÷6000 = 2%

Non-integrated Settings

• Does the child attend an early childhood special education program?

• Is that the only setting where the child’s IEP is being implemented?

Early Childhood Special Education Programs

• A program that includes 51% or more children with disabilities

• A program that is designed for children with disabilities

• Examples: ECSE classroom in regular school buildings; ECSE classroom in a childcare facility, hospital, or other community based setting; separate school; and residential facilities

B 1

• Separate class - Child attends a special education program in a class with less than 50% non-disabled children

• Example: Child attends the school district’s ECSE classroom 30 hours/week and receives speech/language and OT services in that setting

B 2

• Separate school - Child receives education programs in public or private day schools designed specifically for children with disabilities

B 3

• Residential facility - Child receives education programs in publicly or privately operated residential schools or residential medical facilities on an inpatient basis

B 4

• Home – child receives special education and related services in the principal residence of the child’s family or caregivers

• Non-example: Child Development home where the child attends childcare

B 5

• Service provider location – child receives all special education & related services from a service provider in the service provider’s location.

• Examples: local school building where the speech/language pathologist is officed, private clinicians’ offices, hospital facilities on an outpatient basis, and other public locations

Practice Examples for Consistency Within AEAs and

Among AEAs