DE website

Did you know you can click on the Department of Education website from our AEA homepage? There is a document on the site entitled "IEP Requirements for Children Ages 3 Through 5". The easiest way to find the information is to click on the left side of the DE home page under Special Education, then click on Iowa's Guidance for Quality IEPs and then you'll see the document in a box entitled :IEP requirements for children ages 3-5.

Summarizing the highlights of that article:
A teacher may serve as the special educatio teacher and general education teacher if the individual holds the appropriate endorsements.

For preschool children who require special education, an early childhood program (general education environment) is the environment where appropriate activities occur for children of similar age without disabilities. The early childhood program must include at least 50% of children of similar age without disabilities.

The general education curriculum for preschool children is a research-based or evidence-based written framework.

The Iowa Early Learning Standards serve as a guide for learning and development of young children across various environments.

ECSE and early childhood programs serving children on an IEP must implement one of the following Preschool Program Standards: NAEYC, Head Start, or QPPS.

It is essential to support the development, implementation and ongoing monitoring of a child's IEP. Early childhood staff need frequent and ongoing assistance from ECSE teachers, which involves observing the classs, providing suggestions, showing the teacher how to use interventions and giving feedback, regular time to consult, and to monitor the child's progress frequently.

Access to calendars and caseloads

Please make sure that Gale and I have access to your online calendar. Keeping calendars updated helps us know how to best "find" one another.

The updated department list will also be sent today so that you have everyone's contact information. Remember the list serve address is at the bottom of the page; feel free to make contact with the department through that means.

Also thank you for sending in your caseloads, if you haven't done so, please do so THIS WEEK as Tonia and Lisa will need that information to enter names in the web based IFSP system. We will update caseloads quarterly; I will send a reminder to do so. Please remember that you are adding the 3-5 year old intakes to your list rather than sending them to me for entry. If you are working with a child for more than one visit or one contact with the teacher, I'd suggest you enter the information. Remember, if you are gone for an extended time, I need to be able to pick up your caseload and know who to contact and where to contact them and why! Thank you so much!

Technology here I come!

The time is here - I plan to blog "Monday Matters" instead of the traditional newsletter! A big step for me, but having 3 young, computer savvy daughters, they have encouraged me to facebook, blog, twitter, or just do something to get with the times...

Every Monday I will send you an email with the blog address http://www.ecsedepartment.blogspot.com/ until we get in the habit of checking it on your own and have bookmarked it as a favorite!

What is my role in the preschool programs, especially the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Programs?

The following districts within AEA 8 are part of the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program.
Year 1:(07-08) Alta, Storm Lake, Estherville, Eagle Grove, Gilmore City, Pocahontas,Stratford
Year 2 (08-09): Fort Dodge, Webster City, SE Webster, Twin Rivers, Okoboji, Harris Lake Park
Year 3 (09-10): Algona, North Kossuth, Graettinger Terril, Newell Fonda, Greene County (Paton Churdan, Jefferson, East Greene), Humboldt

This year the state DE team will be providing verification visits to the Year 2 schools that have selected QPPS as their program standard. Becky Berg, private consultant will assist Ft. Dodge, and Twin Rivers in the process. Wendy Barnard, private consultant, will assist Okoboji and Harris Lake Park and Becky Coffelt will assist Webster City and SE. Webster.

• Year 3 schools will begin the verification process by completing the QPPS self assessment, creating an action plan, developing a classroom portfolio and a district program portfolio. Becky Berg and myself will provide the assistance to Algona, Humboldt, and N. Kossuth Bancroft. Wendy Barnard will assist Graettinger Terril and Becky Coffelt will have Greene County Consortium and Newell Fonda.

So, what is your role?

• Make sure that all classrooms that are ECSE only are also working on Quality Preschool Program Standards - a new state requirement!
• Support districts and community based preschools in your zone that serve 3 and 4 year olds and DO NOT have quality programs or are NOT part of the SWVPP grant.
  
• Collaborate with district ECSE teachers in IEP goal development and writing of IEPs.
  

Evolving IEP Practices for Preschoolers

At a state department meeting last week, the following points were emphasized for preschool age children (3-5) on instructional based IEPs:

• Preschool age children on instructional IEPs MUST be placed in programs that are using: Head Start Standards, or Quality Preschool Program Standards (QPPS) or National Association Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards.
• The teacher in the program MUST have an Early Childhood License.
• Instructional services MUST be provided by an ECSE teacher.
• IEP instructional services are beyond monitoring.
• Instruction is no longer just consulting and monitoring monthly.
• ECSE teachers need to be instructing WEEKLY. (co-teaching, modeling, small group practice, consulting, monitoring,etc).
• Are the goals IEP worthy if they only need monitoring 1x/month?

Please don't go out and "amend" every IEP you are involved in, however, as we move forward, more attention needs to be given to the above points so that we will be in compliance with the state recommendations.