Early Childhood Special Education
Preschool through Kindergarten
If you
have any questions about
Early Childhood Special Education, please contact:
Jim Fallon
603-585-6611 ext.250
fax: 603-585-9287
Early Childhood Special Education Services
Special education services are available for all children
age three through twenty two who have a disability that affects their learning
or their participation in age appropriate activities. These services include
special instruction and related services as mandated under the Individuals with
Disabilities Act (IDEA). Special education
services ensure a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to all eligible
children in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). This means that young
children with disabilities receive services in typical early childhood settings
and programs as appropriate for their individual needs. Kindergarten students
are educated in regular classroom settings and participate in all regular
education programs.
Who is eligible?
Children are referred for early childhood special education services by parents, classroom teachers, Pediatricians, Early Intervention Programs, community preschools, daycare and Head Start programs when there is a concern about a child’s development. If the school referral team determines that it is appropriate, the school will conduct assessments to gather information about the child’s development and areas of concern that will be used to determine eligibility for special education services.
What areas are
assessed?
The formal testing typically includes all areas of development:
§ Motor…moving, using his/her body, using “fine muscles” for tasks like grasping
§ Cognition…thinking, figuring things out, problem solving
§ Speech / language…talking, understanding, communicating
§ Adaptive…self-help in areas like dressing and eating
§ Social / emotional…getting along with others, coping
§ Physical…general health
The reports that come from the evaluation should give an idea about how a child is functioning in these areas of development. When assessments are completed the Individualized Educational Program (IEP) Team, which includes the parents, meets to review the information and determine if the child meets the criteria of eligibility for special education services. The criteria are 1) the student must have an educational disability and 2) the student must require special education services as a result of that disability.
What can you do if
you have questions about your young child’s development?
Ages
& Stages Questionnaires (ASQ); A Parent-Completed, Child-Monitoring System,
Second Edition.
The ASQ screening system is composed of questionnaires that parents or primary caregivers complete. Each questionnaire contains 30 developmental items that are divided into five areas: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social. An Overall section addresses general parental concerns. The questionnaire intervals include 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 42, 48, 54, and 60 months of age.
In most cases, these questionnaires can identify infants and young children who are in need of further evaluation to determine a need for intervention services.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact me, Jim Fallon
