State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education (Page 92 of 277) in pdf

State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education Page 92

Arkansas Department of Education Special Education Unit

Part B State Performance Plan

Monitoring Priority: FAPE in the LRE

Indicator 06: Preschool LRE

Percent of children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs attending a:

A. Regular early childhood program and receiving the majority of special education and related services

in the regular early childhood program; and

B. Separate special education class, separate school or residential facility. (20 U.S.C. 1416(a)(3)(A))

Measurement

A. Percent = [(# of children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs attending a regular early childhood program

and receiving the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood

program) divided by the (total # of children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs)] times 100.

B. Percent = [(# of children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs attending a separate special education class,

separate school or residential facility) divided by the (total # of children aged 3 through 5 with

IEPs)] times 100.

Overview of Issue/Description of System or Process

Children 3-5 years of age with disabilities are educated with nondisabled peers to the maximum extent

appropriate. Research has shown that children with disabilities who are educated with their nondisabled

peers acquire knowledge and skills more readily than children with disabilities NOT educated with their

nondisabled peers. Failure to expose children with disabilities to their typically developing peers slows their

developmental and educational progress.

The ADE-SEU works collaboratively with other State agencies and organizations, through memoranda of

understanding (MOU), to ensure that children receiving early childhood special education are being served

in the most inclusive educational environment. There is ongoing coordination with DHS Division of

Developmental Disabilities Services with regard to identification of and services to children 3-5 years of

age. The SEU, the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Child Care and Early Childhood

Education, and the Head Start Collaboration Office will coordinate with the Child Care Law Center

National Inclusion Project to bring to the state information about the legal frameworks of the ADA and

IDEA as they pertain to child care and early childhood education.

Systems collaboration is ongoing with agencies on the following initiatives:

• Arkansas Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Initiative ( Early Care and Education;

Social/Emotional Needs of Young Children; Medical Home; Family Support and Parent Education)

• Assuring Better Child Health Development (ABCD)

• Arkansas Better Chance for School Success State Rules and Regulations insuring specific guidelines

concerning children with special needs

The Monitoring/Program Effectiveness Section of the Special Education Unit reviews early childhood LRE

data via the program profile to ascertain an EC program’s status with regard to LRE. To address the

localized concerns about LRE, the monitoring staff works with the EC programs to develop a corrective

action plan.

Baseline Data for FFY 2004

Percent = number of children with IEPs receiving special education and related services in settings with

typically developing peers divided by the total number of preschool children with IEPs times 100: 60.13%

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State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education Page 92