Preschool%20Inclusion%20in%20New%20Hampshire:%20%20Promoting%20Partnerships%20to%20Make%20it%20better!

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Preschool Inclusion inNew Hampshire Promoting
Partnerships to Make it better!

• Ruth Littlefield, NH 619 Coordinator
• Joan Izen, PTAN Project Director
• OSEP National Early Childhood Conference Dec 2008

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Preschool Technical Assistance Network PTAN Pilot
Project Promoting Partnerships for Preschool
Inclusion

• To acquire strategies to build and expand
  relationships and collaborative partnerships with
  others in policy development and systems
  improvement at federal, state and local levels.

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Understanding NH

• 180 miles long and 50 miles wide, although the
  extreme width is 93 miles.
• 1300 lakes or ponds and 40,000 miles of rivers
  and streams
• 18 miles of seashore
• 2007 Census Population estimate 1,315,000

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• Approximately 2,900 preschoolers with
• disabilities
• 74 Districts with 10 or fewer preschoolers with
  disabilities
• 39 Districts with 11 to 25
• 23 Districts with 26 to 50
• 7 Districts with 51 to 99
• 3 Districts with 100 to 265 preschoolers with
  disabilities

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• 1,128 Licensed Child Care Programs
• Group care, preschool, family child care, etc
• Licensed Exempt Child Care Programs
• Head Start 6 grantees with 10 programs
• Public Kindergarten Adequate education
• 10 Districts without Public K
• all by September 2009
• Preschool Incentive Fund HB 1299
• Universal Pre-K buzz

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Local Control-Local Decisions Live Free or Die

• Each school district determines what placement
  options exist in their community and what needs
  to be created
• Each IEP team determines what environment is
  appropriate for a child
• What program/setting a child attends for special
  education
• Based on the childs needs
• And on what is available in the community
• Placement _at_ no cost to the family

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Placement optionsvary from community to
community

• Special education and related services provided
  in an inclusive setting (child care, preschool,
  or Head Start program)
• District-run early childhood program (50 or more
  children without disabilities)
• Home-based program
• Service Provider location
• District-run special education program (50 or
  more children with disabilities)
• Segregated programs for children with specific
  needs (deaf/hard of hearing, autism)

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A Continuum of Options that promote LRE

• Some districts operate a variety of models
• larger districts may have all options in place
• Smaller districts tend to choose one model based
  on fiscal and personnel realities
• Many that operate integrated programs, struggle
  with enrolling children without disabilities
• Districts may avoid community placements lacking
  trust in curriculum and staff expertise
• Transportation
• Continuity of care

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NH DOE 619 Coordinator

• Support LEAs and families
• Interpret the special education process
• Support the development and implementation of
  programs
• Monitor for compliance
• Provide technical assistance
• Oversee distribution of federal 619 funds
• Connect people to resources

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Discretionary Set-Aside

• Improvement Activities to Support the
• 4 State Performance Plan Preschool Priorities
• Preschool LRE
• Preschool Outcomes
• Parent Involvement
• Early Transitions
• Preschool Technical Assistance Network (PTAN)

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• NHDOE RFP
• Statewide Preschool Special Education Technical
  Assistance and Professional Development
• Website
• Technical assistance and Professional development
• Information dissemination
• Family-friendly directory of preschool special
  education contacts statewide

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Preschool Technical Assistance Network
(PTAN)http//ptan.seresc.net/
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PTAN promotes quality, developmentally
appropriate and culturally competent early care
and education programs for New Hampshires young
children with disabilities and their families.

• Established in 1992
• Multiple funding sources
• Project activities directly responsive to the
  mission and vision of its funders (NH DOE, NH
  DHHS, School District Contributions)
• Funders share infrastructure costs allowing each
  to focus maximum funds on their goals for
  improving outcomes for children and families.

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PTAN Child Care Inclusion Project

• DOE Bureau of Special Education
• Priority Preschool LRE
• DHHS Child Development Bureau
• Priority Decrease expulsion of children with
  challenging behaviors
• Priority Increase child care placement options
  for parents of children with special needs.

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Promoting Preschool Partnerships Pilot Project

• PTAN Advisory Committee
• Development of a Self-Assessment Tool
• Accessing Services
• Acquire/Share info
• Planning/Provide services
• Admin support

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• Pilot Project 2 communities, urban and rural
• Preschool Special Ed Coordinator
• Child Care Director
• Parent of a child who receives services from both
  programs
• Pilot Teams meet with Advisory Committee
• Revisions to Self-Assessment Tool and Action Plan
  Form
• Planning for statewide implementation

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2 Truths and a Lie Promoting Partnerships for
Preschool Inclusion

• Accessing Services PSE and child care personnel
  work together to

1. Determine formal referral.
2. Conduct on site pre-referral, as appropriate.
3. Establish separate forms and processes for
   completing the referral.

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2 Truths and a Lie Promoting Partnerships for
Preschool Inclusion

• Acquiring And Sharing Information

• Meetings attended by families, PSE and child care
  occur only on school grounds during school hours.
• Child care and PSE regularly share information
  (curriculum, daily activities) with each other
  and families in order to promote consistency and
  reinforcement of learning in the 3 settings.
• PSE and Child care personnel and families agree
  on communication strategies for sharing relevant
  information about the childs day.

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2 Truths and a Lie Promoting Partnerships for
Preschool Inclusion
Planning and Providing Services PSE personnel,
child care providers and families collaborate in

1. Creating separate goals and objectives to be
   implemented in the various settings.
2. Providing technical assistance and training to
   implement the IEP throughout the childs day.
3. Providing parent resources.

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2 Truths and a Lie Promoting Partnerships for
Preschool Inclusion
Administrative Support Administrators of PSE and
child care actively support and encourage
collaboration by

1. Serving as role models in valuing each others
   perspectives.
2. Dedicating time and resources for personnel to
   develop collaboration skills.
3. Providing paid time off for staff to attend spa
   for team building activity.