Inclusion of Preschool Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood

Virginia’s public preschool classrooms currently include children with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) at a much lower rate than the national average, with only 26% of children ages three to five with IEPs being included. As such, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is providing training and technical assistance opportunities to assist Virginia’s school divisions in identifying, developing, and sustaining inclusive early childhood programs for preschool children with IEPs as well as providing high-quality early childhood classrooms that address the needs of all children.

Co-Teaching in Pre-K Book Study

In collaboration with VDOE's only Pre-K Co-Teaching in Excellence team, the Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC) at Old Dominion University will host a statewide book study for up to 25 preschool co-teaching teams. The study will utilize the book, 30 Days to the Co-Taught Classroom: How to Create an AMAZING, Nearly MIRACULOUS & Frankly EARTH-SHATTERING Partnership in One Month or Less by Paula Kluth and Julie Causton. There will be meetings on August 24 and September 21 from 4:00 to 5:30pm with assigned tasks to complete between sessions. Instructional aspects of co-teaching will be reviewed, along with insight from real co-teachers on developing a strong collaborative relationship. Both co-teachers are to participate and are to complete the Pre-K Co-Teaching Interest Form by July 16 to be considered for participation.

Coming this Fall: Itinerant Early Childhood Special Education Service Delivery Model Community of Learning



Based on continuing need, the VDOE is pleased to offer the Itinerant Early Childhood Special Education Service Delivery Model Communities of Learning beginning in September 2022. The purpose of the Communities of Learning (CoL) is to deliver targeted technical assistance and professional development to teachers endorsed in ECSE who provide special education services using the itinerant model. The CoLs will focus on building the necessary competencies to implement high-quality itinerant services to ensure the active and meaningful participation of young children with disabilities within the general education environment. 

The CoLs will be virtual. Teachers will be assigned to one of two regional cohorts with sessions occurring on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:30 pm. The six-session series will begin on September 27 or 28 and end on November 1 or 2. Applications will be available in early August and will be due on Friday, September 2. Questions regarding the CoLs should be directed to Dr. Jaye Harvey, CoL Leader, by email at jhwellons@vcu.edu.  

Early Childhood Special Education: Know Your Data Webinar

The VDOE will offer a webinar focused on Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) data and making quality program improvements on October 17^th, 11:00 am -12:00 pm. The webinar will provide information related to the most recent Child Count data and implications for Child Find; Indicator 6 (Early Childhood Placement) data and implications for improving inclusive practices; relevant changes to the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) Guidelines that impact young children with disabilities; and Head Start Performance Standards. This webinar will also offer resources and opportunities for professional development. The target audience is school division leaders who act as the program administrator for ECSE programs. Since each division is different, this may include directors, coordinators, specialists, lead teachers, or others serving in this capacity. Divisions are strongly encouraged to identify the individual(s) who has primary responsibility for ECSE programs to attend this webinar.

• Register at Early Childhood Special Education: Know Your Data Webinar

Virginia Guidelines for Early Childhood

Inclusion of Children with IEPs Webinar

The Office of Early Childhood Quality and Workforce Development at the VDOE will offer a webinar focused on building, sustaining and improving early childhood inclusion of children with IEPs on October 24^th, 11:00 am -12:00 pm The. The webinar will address system and program related factors that impact the Least Restrictive Environment and appropriate service provision for preschool aged children with IEPs. The webinar will advance participants’ knowledge of the benefits and legal requirements of early childhood inclusion, contexts and models of inclusion, and identify resources for programs to support and improve inclusion. The target audience is administrators and supervisors of programs that serve young children with disabilities (ECSE, Head Start, VPI, Title I, community-based providers) and anyone else who would like to learn more about inclusion.

• Register at Virginia Guidelines for Early Childhood Inclusion of Children with IEPs

Inclusive Practices Intensive Technical Assistance Opportunity

This school year, 26% of young children with IEPs received special education services in regular early childhood programs as measured by Indicator 6a, early childhood placement. The state narrowly met the target of 25%. In an effort to improve inclusion, the VDOE Training and Technical Assistance Centers (TTACs) offer intensive technical assistance to support building the system and capacity necessary to implement and sustain high quality inclusive programs in early childhood. Divisions will receive technical assistance for three years to address

• Increasing access through developing or expanding models of inclusion for children with IEPs, and/or
• Improving the quality of practices that support the needs of children with IEPs in inclusive classrooms.

This summer, TTACs will be identifying and contacting divisions that did not meet the Indicator 6 inclusion target to determine interest in this intensive technical assistance opportunity. If your division did not meet the target or are interested in receiving support, please contact your TTAC representative or Dawn Hendricks. 

If you have questions regarding these training and technical assistance opportunities, please contact Dawn Hendricks, Early Childhood Special Education Coordinator by email at Dawn.Hendricks@doe.virginia.gov.