Inclusion Standards in Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS)

1. Inclusion Standards in Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) …experiences in Delaware OSEP National Early Childhood Conference Arlington, Virginia Tuesday, December 8, 2009

2. Families of young children with disabilities Interagency Coordinating Council Expanding Inclusive Early Intervention Opportunities Inclusion Delaware Stars For Early Success Delaware Early Childhood Council Quality Rating Scale

3. Delaware Early Care and Education Baseline Quality Study (September 2002) • Natural environments • ~ targets and improvements ~ • Parent stories • Building capacity in natural environments committee Interagency Coordinating Council ICC

4. Expanding Opportunities Technical Assistance Grant for Part C, Part B(619),Head Start, and child care • Birth to 5 focus across DHSS and DOE • professional development • public awareness materials • policies and procedures • Morphed into EIEIO Expanding Inclusive Early Intervention Opportunities EIEIO

5. Unified plan for early childhood services:Early Success: Delaware’s Early Childhood Plan • Membership – broad early childhood stakeholders • State statute to gain authority (2007) • HB126 • with help from Children’s Caucus • Delaware Stars reported back to DECC • EIEIO is now a formal committee of ICC and DECC Delaware Early Childhood Council DECC

6. Delaware Stars For Early Success Results: • Hounding and Persistence • Quality and Inclusion • Early Childhood Stakeholders Unified

7. There is still more work to be done! • Delaware Stars is not fully implemented • (150 sites out of a potential 2000) • Environmental Ratings Scale only applies if you have already enrolled children with disabilities • Delaware Stars does not yet look at quality of inclusive practices

8. Delaware QRIS Inclusion Standards Qualifications and Professional Development for Teachers and Assistant Teachers • 2 Star Standard • Shows evidence of having completed education/training in Inclusion Best Practice (at least 3 hours) • [Supports] Qualifications and Professional Development for Administrators • 2 Star Standard • Shows evidence of having completed education/training in Inclusion Best Practice(at least 3 hours) • [Supports]

9. Delaware QRIS Inclusion Standards (continued) Learning Environments and Curriculum • 3 Star Standard • Program documents activities/instruction that help to support goals in a child’s IEP/IFSP • [Access and Participation]

10. Delaware QRIS Inclusion Standards (continued) Family and Community Partnerships • 2 Star Standard • Program has a written inclusion policy that is reviewed with staff and shared with families • [Support] • 3 Star Standard • Program requests copies of a child’s IEP/IFSP, assessment results, and other pertinent written information from families • [Participation] • 4 Star Standard • Program involves families in planning to meet the needs of their child(ren), including IFSP/IEP goals • [Participation] • 5 Star Standard • When applicable, program makes staff available to attend IEP-IFSP meetings to participate in planning efforts with family and service providers • [Support]

11. for more information please contact: Rosanne Griff-Cabelli Part C Coordinator Birth To Three Early Intervention System rosanne.griff-cabelli@state.de.us 302-255-9135 Jim J. Lesko Education Associate Early Childhood Education jlesko@doe.k12.de.us 302-735-4210