Early Intervention
Special Education
Autism Screens by Preschool Teachers an Option for Early Detection, Study Finds
Child-care workers were able to flag for evaluation several children who had not been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder before, according to a new research report.
Early Childhood
Input Sought on Policy Statement to Promote Inclusive Preschools
Young children with disabilities need everyday interactions with typically-developing peers, according to a draft statement from the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services
Early Childhood
Comments Sought on Effort to Promote Inclusive Early-Childhood Programs
Young children with disabilities are often placed in segregated settings, as opposed to the least-restrictive environment that can meet their needs, says a draft policy statement from two federal agencies.
Special Education
Young Children May Lose Autism Label, but Learning Challenges Continue
A study of about 600 children who were diagnosed with autism as toddlers found about 7 percent no longer had symptoms 4 years later, but often had other disabilities.
Early Childhood
States Rarely Use Early-Intervention Trigger Built Into Special Education Law
The IDEA requires districts that have overidentified minorities for special education spend part of their federal money on early-intervention, but some states have set the bar very high.
Early Childhood
Bias in Special Education Identification Rarely Flagged by States
The most up-to-date figures show that, as in previous years, few districts have been directed to use part of their federal special education money for early-intervention services.
Education Funding
Vermont to Launch 'Promise Community' Initiative
Following on the heels of the federal Promise Neighborhood program, Vermont will be launching its own initiative to help communities support citizens from birth onward.
Early Childhood
Study: N.C. Early Childhood Programs Led to Fewer Special Education Placements
The research studied the effects of Smart Start and More at Four, two programs aimed at improving the child care and preschool options for children who face social or economic challenges.
School & District Management
Study: N.C. Early Education Leads to Fewer Special Education Placements
Investments in Smart Start and More at Four had a direct relationship to the number of 3rd graders identified as having a learning disability or an educable mental handicap.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Study: Minority Low-Birth-Weight Babies Less Likely to Get Help
A study of 10,433 California babies born with a very low birth weight in 2010-11 found that many were not referred to a free statewide program that provides follow-up care.
Early Childhood
Audit: Millions of Dollars in Misspent Special Education Aid in N.Y. State
Private providers that offer special education services to preschool students are being scrutinized for potential fraud by the state's comptroller.
Early Childhood
Early Childhood Special Education Takes Back Seat to Newer Programs
Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provides services to infants and toddlers, has remained mostly level-funded while other programs for young children grown.
Early Childhood
Georgia to Create New Kindergarten-Entry Assessment
Plans call for a new assessment, known as a "kindergarten-entry profile," to be introduced statewide in 2017.
Early Childhood
Full-Day Kindergarten Offers Students Critical Advantage
Children in full-day kindergarten programs made much bigger leaps in early reading skills than their schoolmates attending traditional half-day programs, according to a new University of Virginia study.