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Spring 2002 Volume 9, Issues 1 & 2

Official Newsletter of the Illinois Subdivision of the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children.

The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning

The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning is a national center focused on strengthening the capacity of Child Care and Head Start to improve the social and emotional outcomes of young children. The Center will develop and disseminate evidence-based, user-friendly information to help early childhood educators meet the needs of the growing number of children with challenging behaviors and mental health needs in Child Care and Head Start programs. The Center will:

The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning is funded by Head Start and the Child Care Bureaus in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is a multi-university, multi-organization collaboration of the:

The Director of the Center is Dr. Mary Louise Hemmeter, who joined the faculty of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the Fall of 2001. Prior to coming to UIUC, Mary Louise was on the faculty at the University of Kentucky, where she coordinated the masters degree program in Early Childhood Special Education. During that time, she was instrumental in the development of an undergraduate and graduate level certification program that prepared students to work with children ages birth to 5 with and without disabilities. Mary Louise currently teaches courses in ECSE. Her research focuses on: (a) effective instructional approaches for promoting children's acquisition and generalization of developmentally appropriate skills, and (b) working with teachers to implement effective classroom practices. She provides training and technical assistance around issues related to inclusion, instruction, and challenging behaviors for early childhood programs throughout the country. She has served on the board of DEC and has published extensively in ECSE journals. For more information on the Center, please view the website:

http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu

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IDEC President's Message

by Bernie Laumann

As I write this message for the spring newsletter, our state legislators are grappling with a major budget deficit. As IDEC members, we need to voice our concerns to Gov. Ryan and our state representatives about proposed funding cuts that will affect young children at-risk and young children with disabilities and their families. Gov. Ryan has proposed a radical change in the school funding formula that would eliminate special funding for 22 grant programs-including the Early Childhood Block Grant- and divert the money into general state aid for schools.

The state budget cuts also include eliminating all funds for Lekotek programs and reducing funds for the Early Intervention system by 4 million dollars. This means that school districts would no longer be required to spend state funds on early childhood programs, less funds for early intervention programs, and fewer choices for parents who need these programs and services for their children.

This is a serious concern for our membership and I urge you to write, call, and/or e-mail your local representatives and the governor asking them to restore the Early Childhood Block Grant and funding for early intervention services and Lekotek programs. Investing in publicly funded high quality preschool programs and early intervention services is critical to the well-being of thousands of children and their families in our state. As an organization dedicated to advocating for young children with disabilities and their families, IDEC must continue to fight for children's rights to high quality, affordable services early intervention and preschool services.

If you would like more information about how to contact your state representatives and Gov. Ryan via U.S. mail, phone or e-mail, visit the Voices for Illinois Children website:

http://www.voices4kids.org

Bernie may be reached at:

61 Children's Research Center,
51 Gerty Drive, Champaign, IL 61820
Telephone: 217/333-4123
Facsimile: 217/244-7732
Email: blaumann@uiuc.edu

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Webliography

Children with Disabilities
http://www.childrenwithdisabilities.ncjrs.org

Circle of Inclusion
http://www.circleofinclusion.orgEditor's Note: this url is no longer active.

Special Education Resources on the Internet
http://seriweb.com

Quality in Linking Together (QUILT)
http://www.quilt.orgEditor's Note: this url is no longer active.

Voices for Illinois Children
http://www.voices4kids.org

Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children
http://illinoisaeyc.org

Illinois State Board of Education
http://www.isbe.net

Illinois Early Intervention
http://www.state.il.us/agency/dhs/earlyint/earlyint.htmlEditor's note: This url has changed:http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=31183

Illinois DEC
http://idec.crc.uiuc.edu

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Young Exceptional Children Monographs Available

Did you know that DEC publishes a Monograph Series? These monographs are a wonderful resource for your program. They provide practical information for working with children with special needs.

Monograph #1. Practical Ideas for Addressing Challenging Behavior
Sandall & Ostrosky (Eds.) (1999)

This monograph shows how you can more effectively prevent, identify, and address challenging behaviors by taking a positive approach that utilizes developmentally appropriate management techniques, includes preventive measures and intervention strategies, and enlists families in designing and carrying out interventions. Articles cover topics like staying on task, transitioning to the next activity, learning positive social interactions, and communicating wants and needs appropriately.

Monograph #2. Natural Environments and Inclusion
Sandall & Ostrosky (Eds.) (2000)

This monograph addresses the importance of natural environments and inclusion. The articles in Natural Environments and Inclusion focus on important issues, suggesting ways to help children and families successfully participate in natural settings.

Monograph #3. Teaching Strategies: What to Do to Support Young Children's Development
Sandall & Ostrosky (Eds.) (2001)

This latest monograph focuses on effective and practical teaching strategies for young children with special needs. The volume's eight articles highlight teaching practices for a variety of curriculum content.

To order any of these monographs or any other DEC publication, please contact Sopris West at: 800-547-6747 or www.sopriswest.com. The cost is $12—a small investment to make for children. Editor's note: This url has changed:http://www.voyagersopris.com

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Benefits of IDEC Membership…What Do I Get?

As parents, professionals and students, we are always looking for opportunities to stay informed about the field of early childhood special education. IDEC can provide you with a great deal of information that will be useful to all. Each issue of the IDEC Newsletter will highlight just some of the many benefits of being involved in the organization.

Publications:

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It's Election Time at Illinois DEC

It is time once again to elect officers for the Illinois Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children. This year, there are 2 positions open. The two candidates are Jeffri Brookfield for Vice-President and Rob Corso for Treasurer. Enclosed in this issue is a ballot for you to complete and send back to Bernie (address on ballot). This is an important election as we prepare for the 2004 International Division for Early Childhood conference that the IDEC will host in Chicago. There is a great deal of energy around early childhood and early intervention in the state. Please return your ballots by June 30, 2002. Officers will be installed at the July IDEC meeting.

About the candidates: Jeffri Brookfield, Ed.D. is currently a visiting research professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and oversees 2 federally funded projects at the

university. She has published numerous articles, chapters, training manuals, and research instruments over her 20+ year career. She has directed several training projects and served a term as the president of Kentucky DEC. Dr. Brookfield has also worked as a consultant for several projects including Nec*TAS and TASH.

Rob Corso, Ph.D. is currently a visiting professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is the Director and Co-Principal Investigator of the Great Lakes Quality Improvement Center for Disabilities at UIUC. His areas of specialization focus on early childhood and program evaluation. His research interests include studying the impact of collaboration between early intervention and Early Head Start and the delivery of culturally appropriate early childhood/early intervention services.

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The Voluntary Infant Toddler Credential

The Birth to Three Project is sponsoring a symposium to discuss the development of a voluntary credential for professionals and paraprofessionals who work with infants and toddlers. The symposium will be held on May 31, 2002 in Springfield, Illinois. The Birth to Three Project is a partnership between the Ounce of Prevention Fund, government agencies and other key stakeholders. The Project's state work group and five committees have been working since 1998 to build a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated, high-quality system of preventive services for expecting parents and new families with children younger than three years old.

The concept of a credential emerged from the work of the Project's Training and Workforce Development Committee. This group gathered information from providers, trainers, and educators about the need for a voluntary credential that fits into existing standards and professional development opportunities, that provides guidance and a career path for practitioners and that meets the needs of various types of practitioners in the field. Please stay tuned for more information on the symposium and its outcomes! This is an exciting time for the early childhood field in Illinois!

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Sharing A Vision Meeting Dates

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Future IDEC Newsletter Deadlines

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Jeanette A. McCollum Award Recipient

Congratulations to Sharon Andersen from Prairie Children's Preschool in Naperville on receiving the first ever Jeanette A. McCollum award for Service to the Field. Ms. Andersen has been in the field of early childhood for 18 years and is currently an Early Childhood Inclusive Teacher and coordinates the Extended School Year Program for the Preschool. She is also on the Curriculum Committee at the school, has been a trainer of trainers on the Illinois Early Learning Standards issued by the Illinois State Board of Education, has presented numerous sessions at Sharing A Vision and is working on her master's degree in Administration at Northern Illinois University. Please join IDEC in congratulating Sharon Anderson on her award winning service to the field!

In 1999, the Illinois Division for Early Childhood (IDEC) established the Jeanette A. McCollum award for Service to the Field. This award was developed to recognize the exemplary contributions of Dr. Jeanette A. McCollum from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Dr. McCollum is an internationally recognized researcher in the areas of personnel preparation, early childhood special education (ECSE) policy, and parent-child interactions—especially related to cultural impact on interactions. Her leadership in ECSE personnel preparation has laid the foundation for many college and university programs across the nation. Dr. McCollum has been a mentor to numerous students throughout her years at UIUC, and her guidance is frequently sought from organizations such as the international Division for Early Childhood, the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois' and other states' committees working on issues related to personnel development and Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Dr. McCollum, herself, is a recipient of both the International Division for Early Childhood's Merle B. Karnes Service to the Division and the Service to the Field Awards.

The next recipient will be announced at the 2003 Sharing A Vision Conference. Candidates for the Jeanette A. McCollum Award shall meet the following criteria:

  1. Be a professional in an agency or an organization in the field of early intervention/early childhood (0-8), family member, student or community member or an area that directly impacts on early intervention/early childhood (e.g., government);
  2. It is encouraged, but not required, that the candidate be a current member of DEC;
  3. Have made significant contributions on a state, regional, or local level which have improved or will improve the lives of young children with special needs, their families, or those who work on their behalf. Contributions may be in direct services, personnel preparation, leadership, policy development, research, advocacy, or publications and are supportive of the goals of Illinois and International DEC).

We will be seeking nominations for this prestigious award until May 1, 2003. Please send nominations, including letters of support outlining the three criteria above and any additional supporting documentation to Susan Maude at smaude@loras.edu or 46 Lookout Trace, Galena, IL 61036. The outcome of this review process will be determined by August 15, 2003. Please direct any questions to Susan.

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Illinois Early Intervention Update

From the Office of the Auditor General's Follow-Up Report on the Illinois EI System

The State of Illinois Office of the Auditor General released a report of the Department of Human Services' Early Intervention Program. This audit was a follow-up to its 1993 evaluation of the EI program. The following is an excerpt of that report.

The Early Intervention (EI) Program provides services to children, birth to 36 months of age, who have disabilities due to developmental delay, have a medically diagnosed mental or physical condition that typically results in developmental delay, or have been determined to be at risk of a substantial developmental delay. The EI Program is administered by the Department of Human Services (DHS), which contracts with various entities to provide most Program components, including case coordination, public awareness, billing, provider credentialing, and training functions. In 1997, Child and Family Connections offices (CFCs) were established statewide to carry out intake and service coordination responsibilities. In 1999, DHS contracted with a vendor to operate the Central Billing Office (CBO) to process all payments related to the Early Intervention Program. In 2001, DHS implemented many new program changes.

In June 2001, DHS implemented the Quality Enhancement (QE) process, which was established to ensure that all eligible children and their families receive appropriate, consistent, and quality interventions. The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) raised concerns regarding the QE process because the IFSP team was not developing the IFSP which details the type and amount of care a child and family will receive. DHS has begun to undertake revisions to the QE process.

Public Act 92-307, effective August 9, 2001, made significant changes to the EI Program. These changes included: establishing new eligibility requirements; mandating changes in the credentialing and training of EI providers; setting new insurance and family fee requirements; and requiring the bidding of certain EI contracts. The Department has implemented many of the new requirements; implementation of others is still underway.

The Office of the Auditor General's 1993 audit of the EI Program found that although the framework being established for the EI Program should be capable of providing services under State and federal laws, several areas needed to be addressed. These included: services were not available in all parts of the State: some eligible children were not being served and were on waiting lists; IFSPs were not being completed within the required 45 days; and State agencies were not collecting information on the number of children eligible for services, the number served by all programs, or the cost of services per child.

"The objectives for this (2001-2002) evaluation were to follow-up on issues raised in our 1993 audit of the EI Program, review the DHS planning efforts for the EI Program, and assess the DHS efforts to implement requirements of Public Act 92-307.

We conducted interviews of DHS staff, including those from the Bureau of Early Intervention, Office of Community Health and Prevention, Office of Contract Administration, and Office of Internal Audits. We also interviewed the Chair of the Illinois Interagency Early Intervention Council and officials from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs and the Central Billing Office.

In November 2001, we sent a survey to the 25 CFCs asking for their input regarding various aspects of the EI Program. We reviewed the federal and State legal requirements that pertain to the EI Program, as well as the management controls established over the Program. We reviewed monthly managers' reports submitted by CFCs to DHS for the year ending June 310, 2001, as well as for the month of October 2001. We reviewed other Program information, including annual reports, training documentation, planning documents, Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention meeting minutes, and other Program materials.

The Office of the Auditor General offered a number of recommendations to DHS:

  1. DHS should continue efforts to increase public awareness of the EI Program, specifically focusing such efforts in areas of the State with low EI Program participation rates.
  2. DHS should follow-up with the CFCs that reported shortages of providers and develop strategies to recruit additional providers where needed. Also, DHS should continue its efforts to recruit bilingual providers and interpreters for participation in the EI Program.
  3. DHS should continue to monitor and follow-up on cases where children are not receiving services in a timely manner. When EI system delays are the cause for the delays, action should be taken to address such causes.
  4. DHS should review the appropriateness of CFC caseloads compared to State established and nationally accepted criteria. When CFC caseloads deviate significantly from such criteria and when such deviations are determined to be limiting effective service coordination, appropriate follow-up action should be taken.
  5. DHS should continue its efforts to ensure that CFC staff and providers receive the training necessary to effectively provide services to EI Children and their families.
  6. DHS and the Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention should issue the annual report required by the Illinois Early Intervention Services System Act in a timely manner.
  7. DHS should continue its efforts to implement all the requirements of Public Act 92-307.
  8. DHS should establish a formal plan for the Early Intervention Program which established goals and objectives for the Program, as well as performance measures to determine whether desired outcomes are being achieved.

For the full text of the report, with DHS's response to the recommendations, please go to:

http://www.state.il.us/agency/dhs/earlyint/earlyint.html

Editor's note: This url has changed:http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=31183

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Attention Early Education & Care Initiatives!

Are you an Early Childhood Block Grant, Head Start, Child Care, Early Childhood Special Education, or Bilingual Education Program?

Do you need technical assistance or support in forming or strengthening your partnerships at no cost?

If you answered YES, help may be found in a new resource:

THE COLLABORATIVE SUPPORT TEAMS INITIATIVE

Program Request Forms for technical assistance or support are now available by contacting:

Raydeane James, Principal Consultant
Division of Early Childhood
Illinois State Board of Education
Phone: (217)524-4835
Email: rjames@isbe.net

Ask for Program Request Form CST 413!
Program assistance will begin August 2002

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A bit of IDEC Trivia…

When & where was the first Sharing A Vision Conference held?

Who is the current treasurer?

When was DEC founded?

For the answer to these questions and for more information about Illinois Division for Early Childhood, please visit the IDEC website at:

http://idec.crc.uiuc.edu

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18th Annual DEC International Early Childhood Conference on Children with Special Needs

"Recommended Practices for the Changing Times"
December 5-8, 2002
San Diego, CA

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The 8th Annual Illinois Statewide Collaborative Early Childhood Conference

Sept. 29 - Oct. 1, 2003
Springfield, IL
More information coming soon to:
http://idec.crc.uiuc.edu/conference.html