Parents, Educators Call for “More Time, More Hours” to Improve Early Special Education Outcomes

by Helen Shum | Jan 29, 2019 | Benefits of Preschool, Educators and Workforce, EI/ECSE, School Readiness

The transition to kindergarten is tough for a lot of kids, but for those with developmental delays and disabilities, it can be especially challenging.

Tristan Davis, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder through Early Intervention (EI) services offered by the Clackamas Educational Service District, was primarily non-verbal when he began preschool at Sunset Primary’s Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) classroom.

His mom Tracey described preschool-aged Tristan as a happy boy who struggled with regulation and anxiety. Looking back, Tracey says she was nervous as Tristan began preparing for the transition to kindergarten as his ECSE preschool class met for only two and half hours each day, a few days a week.

She compared that to the experience of her older son, Anthony, who attended a traditional preschool program for five hours a day, 3–4 days a week.

“[Tristan’s] teacher, Eric, was amazing with him, but I noticed there was not a lot of consistency with the aides who were there. They seemed to have more children than help, sometimes. There were children all across the board developmentally.”

Tracey, who later became a special education paraeducator, is frank about the reality of EI/ECSE services given current funding levels, including the impact that pay and other workforce issues have on the special education field.

“Eric does it because he loves it and he’s great at it. But he was definitely not paid what he should have been.”

When asked what might have made more of a difference for Tristan as he transitioned to kindergarten, Tracey said, “More time, more hours.”

EI/ECSE Saves Taxpayer Dollars, But Is Still Underfunded

Tracey’s recollection of the stretched resources in her son’s classroom echoes reports from Children’s Institute and others that shows most children in EI/ECSE programs are not being served at recommended levels.

According to state data, only 28 percent of children enrolled in EI programming receive the recommended level of service. On average, children enrolled in ECSE with high needs only receive 8.7 hours of preschool per week, rather than the recommended 15 hours per week. EI service levels have actually decreased by an average of 70 percent from 2004 to 2016.

The governor’s latest budget proposal devotes $45.6 million to EI/ECSE, about $30 million less than what the Early Childhood Coalition and the Alliance for Early Intervention says is needed to adequately serve children. In the 2014–15 school year, more than 21 percent of children exiting EI had caught up with their peers and did not require ECSE services, saving the state nearly $4 million annually.

Those who work in the field see the need firsthand. Carla Moody Starr, a speech language pathologist on the EI/ECSE evaluation team at the Northwest Regional Educational Service District, says EI/ECSE evaluation staff are often the first point of contact for families who may be overwhelmed, in shock, or in a state of grief if their child is significantly delayed.

“We take into consideration family and child trauma, socio-economic differences, language, and cultural differences— being sensitive to parents, but also educating and advocating for their child is an art. More service is needed for kids with developmental or communication delays before kindergarten. More service is needed for family coaching and education as well. Without adequate EI/ECSE service, these children with disabilities may not develop the skills they need to be successful once they enter elementary school.”

Despite insufficient funding for EI/ECSE services, Tracey has high praise for the West Linn-Wilsonville school district’s ability to provide a wide array of resources to support her son’s learning and development.

In advance of his kindergarten school year, Tracey met with the staff at Trillium Creek Primary School to map out an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

“Before school started, his kindergarten teacher left Tristan this long [voicemail] message saying, ‘I know you can’t talk to me, but I want you to know I’m so excited to see you.’ It meant so much to him and so much to me.

“I was so lucky with West Linn. My rent is outrageous and I’m a single mom, but I really felt there was never a question of—does he really need this? His teacher noticed he liked to jump and they got him an indoor trampoline, just in case he needed to jump it out. They just want him to be successful. That’s the community they foster there.”

EI/ECSE Supports Broader Inclusion Efforts

West-Linn Wilsonville is considered a full-inclusion district, meaning both neurotypical children and children with special education needs are taught in the same classroom. While the Oregon Department of Education sets a state target of 73 percent of special education students being served in a general education classroom, West-Linn Wilsonville far exceeds that standard, reporting that 85.7 percent of its special education students are served in that setting.

Tristan is now a third grader at Trillium Creek Primary and Tracey reports that he’s doing well. “He loves school and has many friends that he loves. He still has hard days and struggles with anxiety. Overall, school has been a positive experience for him. His team is always communicating with me, and I feel they are invested in his success and happiness.”

Benefits For Typically Developing Peers

Ginny Scelza is a parent of two children who attended the Multnomah Early Childhood Program (MECP), operated by the David Douglas School District. The program runs preschool classes at 11 locations across six school districts and offers an inclusive environment where children with special education needs learn alongside typically developing children.

Ginny, whose son and daughter are typically developing admits that her interest in the program was due to the affordable cost and convenient location, initially just a few minutes from her home. MECP tuition costs $32 a month for a twice-a-week program, much less than private preschool programs in the area. Free and reduced tuition is available for qualifying families.

“The fact that the preschool was in the same building that [my son] would be in for kindergarten was a big draw—that made so much sense.”

Ginny also valued the program’s emphasis on social emotional development.

“I saw [preschool] as a transition from the home environment to a classroom community. How do you share? How do you develop friendships? How do you work as part of a team? Having my kids in the program helped strengthen their empathy for other people and that was more important to me than academics.”

Ginny credits the program for creating a smooth transition to kindergarten for both her children. She also notes that the benefits of such programs have a positive effect that goes beyond just those children who have disabilities and delays.

“At age 3 or 4, [my daughter] was learning that kids who were in wheelchairs or needed extra help—they were also a part of her school community. It was normal. How does that not become part of who you are?”

Learn More and Support Increased Funding for EI/ECSE Services

EI/ECSE 2019 Fact Sheet

Oregon Must Invest More in Young Children With Disabilities: A Conversation With FACT Oregon’s Executive Director

Join us and a growing coalition of Early Childhood advocates in requesting an addition $75 million investment to increase service levels for children with disabilities and delays.

The Time Is Now for Oregon to Invest in Early Childhood

by Melissa Duclos | Dec 18, 2018 | Benefits of Preschool, Child Care, School Readiness

The Early Years Are Critical

Children experience their most profound cognitive, social, and emotional growth in the first eight years of life. Babies are born learners and their brains produce a million neural connections each second. By the time children reach their third birthday, their brains are 80 percent developed. The quality of children’s early experiences during this crucial period of growth sets the foundation for all future learning.

Despite what we understand about the importance of these early years for lifelong healthy development, there is no comprehensive early childhood system in Oregon to ensure all children get what they need to have the best start in life. Many children who experience institutional barriers to opportunity—children from low-income families, children of color, children with disabilities, dual language learners, and children who live in rural areas—lack access to essential high-quality early care and education opportunities.

The Early Years in Oregon

Forty-seven percent of children ages 0–5 in Oregon live at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. That’s 129,000 kids. Oregon can improve its support of these children and their families by first addressing our state’s child care crisis. According to a study by the Center for American Progress, Oregon is a child care desert, with 6.8 infants and toddlers for every licensed, available child care slot.

Even if families can find reliable child care in their area, they may not be able to afford it. According to the Economic Policy Institute, one year of infant and toddler child care in Oregon is more expensive than public college tuition; infant care for one child in Oregon accounts for 20 percent of a typical family’s income.

Our state must also invest more in proven programs like Early Head Start and Home Visiting that serve vulnerable families with young children. These evidence-based programs have been shown to increase optimal child development and school readiness, improve mental health for mothers and positive parenting, and decrease child abuse, neglect, and emergency room visits. Currently critical home visiting services reach less than 20 percent of eligible families. Early Head Start serves only 10 percent of eligible children, with more than 23,000 children under 3 left unserved.

Preschool-age children are similarly underserved. Only 8 percent of 3-year-olds and 12 percent of 4-year-olds participate in publicly-funded preschool, putting Oregon 31st out of 43 states reporting on public preschool access. Our public preschool programs need to reach an additional 30,000 eligible children if we want to ensure that all our kids have access to high-quality early childhood education.

The Early Years in Oregon

At a Glance

129,000 kids ages 0–5 live at or below 200% of the federal poverty threshold.
Oregon is a child care desert.
Oregon is the third most expensive state for child care.
Home visiting services reach less than 20% of eligible families.
Early Head Start serves 10% of eligible children.
Only 8% of 3-year-olds and 12% of 4-year-olds attend publicly funded preschool.
30,000 eligible children lack access to publicly funded preschool.
Only 29% of children in need of early intervention receive the recommended levels of service.
8,360 children who need EI/ECSE services do not receive the recommended levels of service.

Finally, while Oregon has prioritized developmental screenings for young children, the state does not invest enough in the Early Intervention (EI) and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) children need once they are diagnosed with disabilities and delays. As a result, more than 8,300 children who need EI/ECSE do not receive the recommended levels of service.

What Does This Mean for Children in Oregon?

We know that babies are born learners, and that future success in school and life depends on stable, healthy families and high-quality early care and education.

Gaps in language proficiency between children from low-income families and their more affluent peers are apparent as early as nine months. On the first day of kindergarten, children from lower-income families—the same children who are less likely to have access to high-quality early education—score lower in reading, math, and general knowledge than children from higher-income families.

This “school readiness” gap persists over time. Results from the 2017–2018 Oregon Assessments show a correlation between kindergarten and third grade achievement: children who are less prepared at the start of kindergarten are less likely to be reading at grade level by third grade. Those who aren’t proficient in reading by third grade are four times less likely to graduate from high school.

Here in Oregon, our failure as a state to invest in these early years has clear consequences: in 2016–2017, 67 percent of economically disadvantaged students, 81 percent of students with disabilities, and 85 percent of dual language learners were not reading proficiently by third grade. In 2016, Oregon’s high school graduation rate was 74.8 percent—the third worst in the nation.

We Know What Works

We know what children need from birth to age 5 in order to be prepared for and successful in school. And the good news is, we already have proven programs in Oregon that work well for kids and families. Now is the time for Oregon to invest more in these proven programs so that they serve all eligible children across the state. Learn more about the programs that help ensure every child in Oregon has the best start in life.

Early Head Start

Home Visiting

Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education

High-Quality Preschool

Coordinated Early Intervention Services Crucial for Oregon Families

by Rafael Otto | Jul 26, 2016 | Early Works, EI/ECSE, Health and Development, Parents and Families

After her son was diagnosed with autism, Ashley Wells navigated what felt like a maze of information to access the resources she and her family needed. Once she connected with Early Intervention (EI) through the Douglas Education Service District (Douglas ESD), staff began providing crucial supports to help her son and her family. “Since starting with Early Intervention, our therapists and teachers have been great,” she says. “They have great communication and always let us know about progress.”Jace, who is four years old and nonverbal, is receiving Early Childhood Special Education services and is now in preschool. He loves the stimulation, attention, and structure of the school day. Wells says his teachers create lots of custom exercises for him and communicate using picture cards and other tools.

Coordinated Early Intervention Services Crucial for Oregon Families

Early Intervention (EI) and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Definitions

Early Intervention reduces need for ECSE

When EI services are adequate and tailored to a child’s unique needs, the evidence shows that children respond extremely well to the services. In 2014, 91 to 95 percent of Oregon infants and toddlers participating in EI services showed developmental improvements. Some 61 to 81 percent of all infants and toddlers demonstrated substantial growth, meaning they will need fewer ECSE and Special Education services in preschool and K-12. More than 27 percent of participating preschool children entered kindergarten without an Individualized Education Program (IEP), 3.5 percentage points above the state target.

Her youngest, Ian, needs an array of therapies, including speech, physical, and occupational. “Our teachers and therapists have been wonderful,” Wells says. “We’ve developed friendships, they’re like family.”But the Douglas County family has an advantage. They live in Roseburg where most of the county’s EI and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) services are provided. Families located far from Roseburg have to make the drive, or hope for a visit by Douglas ESD staff, both of which can be inefficient and expensive.

This is especially true for communities such as Yoncalla, located 30 miles north of Roseburg. Costs incurred by traveling families are tough to overcome, especially when many families have limited incomes and difficulty with transportation. For Douglas ESD, travel time means fewer kids served. But Early Works in Yoncalla is building partnerships to improve early learning and referral to programs like EI or ECSE.

“We know families need EI and ECSE services,” says Erin Helgren, the Early Works site liaison in Yoncalla. “But we also know we need to educate providers on how to screen, educate families on how to advocate for their children, and ensure services are reaching rural Oregon.” Early Works is a partnership between Children’s Institute, The Ford Family Foundation and Yoncalla School District.

Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education are federally mandated programs that stem from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a piece of legislation that has been part of the U.S. education landscape since its first iteration in 1975. It calls for tailored services for children from birth to school age with developmental delays and disabilities. Services are meant to strengthen healthy and on-track development and enhance physical, cognitive, communication, and social emotional development, as well as build caregiving skills for parents and families.

With EI/ECSE services, children gain skills and are better prepared for school. Families, parents, and caregivers are better prepared to support children with disabilities. And early developmental gains translate into reduced costs for the K-12 system.

EI and ECSE caseloads in the state are up; in 2015 they rose by nearly 4 percent due to an increase in developmental screenings by physicians and others. The increase is a result of incentives for providers to screen early and capture more kids in prevention and intervention efforts. The incentives flow through the state’s Coordinated Care Organizations, established in 2011 to streamline health services, create coordinated and efficient care, and save public dollars.

Increased screenings equate to more kids identified with developmental needs. But rising caseloads need to be met with adequate services. Without sufficient funding, the goal of serving children early to save costs later can’t be met.

Sondra Williams, the EI/ECSE coordinator for the Douglas Education Service District (Douglas ESD), says enrollments are up by about 50 percent. “In the last two years, we’ve seen the numbers grow from about 200 children at the beginning of the school year to 300 plus. We’re seeing more kids on the autism spectrum and more kids needing help with physical, speech, and occupational therapies.”

Parents and families in rural Douglas County are becoming better informed about the importance and role of EI/ECSE services. Physicians are screening more often and referring sooner. And once developmental delays are identified, children under age five must be served immediately according to federal law.

Pat Sublette, assistant superintendent of special education for Douglas ESD, says her community has additional challenges in the effort to provide high-quality EI/ECSE services to more families. “In rural communities, in-home early intervention services come with greater transportation time and costs. Perhaps the biggest problem is that we also have difficulty attracting trained staff due to our more isolated location and less competitive salaries. Services, unfortunately, can get thinned down.”

Sublette also says that despite knowing the EI/ECSE services are effective, Medicaid reimbursements can be difficult to process and count on. “We’ve seen basic supports turned down, such as wheelchairs. Payments are often hard to secure which limits our providers.”

Coordinated Early Intervention Services Crucial for Oregon Families

Helping families in Douglas County connect to EI/ECSE services.

EI/ECSE services are required for any qualifying child and are based on developmental needs. Families aren’t charged for services and there are no economic qualifications to receive services. Some kids referred to EI/ECSE services will need rigorous services for the rest of their life. Some kids will need focused support, such as intensive speech therapy, and make significant gains prior to entering kindergarten. Improving how the system responds to and prepares for increasing demands for services is crucial for Oregon families.

Wells says EI/ECSE services have helped her and her husband at home with both boys. “We’ve learned so much… so many different tactics and strategies that help us with our kids, help us communicate and address their needs.”

In Yoncalla, Helgren says that more thorough screening for EI/ECSE services has just started and is already improving for families. Parents are also learning about available resources, in part due to Oregon’s new preschool program, Preschool Promise. Improving preschool means improvements to screening and referral for EI/ECSE.

“Preschool Promise staff will screen more often and consistently,” Helgren says. “Families will learn about Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education services. This is what aligned and coordinated efforts look like. The biggest challenge will be backing up our efforts with qualified staff to give our communities what they need.”