Helping Families and Programs Advocate for Inclusion

The recommendations in this report take a systems approach that recognizes that providing early childhood special education (ECSE) and related services on the child’s IEP in community-based early childhood settings will require changes across a number of systems to ensure services are effective and high quality.

This video describes Chicago Public Schools’ decision to change the name of one of their units to the Office for Students with Disabilities. The name change, and explanation behind it, emphasizes the rightful presence and sense of belonging for students with disabilities. 

This is a Preschool Least Restrictive Environment initiative of the Illinois State Board of Education. The project promotes increasing high quality inclusive education for each and every preschool aged child by providing technical assistance and professional development to early childhood professionals and families in Illinois.

The Family Rights in EI Video Series was designed to support families’ and early interventionists’ understanding of their safeguards or rights in participating in the Early Intervention (EI) system. This series features both families and professionals describing these rights and what they mean across time. Supporting families’ understanding of their rights from referral to transition can empower them to know what to expect, use their voice, and fully participate in the process. 

This page provides information, resources, and a policy statement on the inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood settings.

This guide was developed as a roadmap for service providers (educators, caregivers, special educators, related services providers, administrators, and coaches) when implementing inclusive services in community-based organizations in partnership with Local Educational Agencies (LEA). At the center of an early childhood collaborative itinerant teaching model is the premise of providing systemic supports so that children and families can be served wherever they are together.

This website provides resources related to a video series about family rights in EI.  This page includes Series Advocacy Tips (a PDF), and links to a video explaining that a child has a right to EI services in their natural environment.

This webpage provides a list of virtual and in person trainings for parents regarding talking with school staff, information regarding special education, attending an IEP meeting, preparing for evaluation and receiving results, and assistive technology. Viewers can watch previously recorded trainings on PACER’s YouTube channel, listed on this page.

This module developed by Early CHOICES reviews the Federal Policy Statement on the Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs that was updated and re-issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Education on November 23, 2023. Objectives for the module include explaining what inclusion is and the importance of including children with disabilities in early childhood programs, identifying and developing strategies to implement inclusive programming that aligns with federal guidance and recommendations, reflecting on current inclusion practices to identify areas for improvement, and identifying resources and supports to enhance inclusive practices.