Early Childhood Special Education Services

The IEP process includes requirements and actions that ensure IEP teams have the information needed to discuss and consider access to and participation in high-quality inclusive settings for every young child with a disability during IEP placement discussions. These documents list important actions in the IEP development process along with guiding principles and practices that should inform placement decisions for young children with disabilities.

Guiding Questions for Discussing Services in LRE

Preschool LRE Reference Points and Discussion Prompts

Preschool Special Education Services Guiding Questions Form

Inclusionary Practices

Helpful Resources

Young children with disabilities must be given access to the early childhood programs, services, and experiences that children without disabilities have within a State or local community. These Indicators of High-Quality Inclusion are available to support in assessing and improving upon programs’ and classrooms’ inclusionary practices.

Local Program Indicators and Elements of High-Quality Inclusion

ECTA Center: Early Care and Education Environment Indicators and Elements of High-Quality Inclusion

Nebraska Technical Assistance Part B Preschool Guidance Document

NETA B Preschool Guidance Document

Kindergarten and the IEP

Kindergarten Age Eligible (5-year-old) Preschool IEP and LRE Guidance

Ready for Success: A School Readiness Guide for Nebraska Families

Additional ECSE Resources

Breaking the Preschool-to-Prison Pipeline
Exclusionary Discipline Resource
NeMTSS Pyramid Model
Position Statement on Multitiered System of Support Framework in Early Childhood
Subscribe to the Preschool Post (LINK)

Nebraska Department of Education - Department of Health and Human Services Early Intervention

Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE)

Part C/EDN COVID-19 RESOURCES

Transitioning to Kindergarten for Preschool Children with Disabilities

Resource Documents and Links

Nebraska Transition to Kindergarten Toolkit and Resource Guide

The Nebraska Transition to Kindergarten Toolkit and Resource Guide is for families, school district leadership and kindergarten teachers, and early childhood care and education (ECCE) providers and administrators. This toolkit presents a common understanding of developmentally appropriate expectations and practices that support continuity in transitions for young children. Research-based activities, strategies, and resources specific to families, schools, and ECCE providers are outlined to support the transition into kindergarten for young children.

Learn more & download the Toolkits.

A Family Guide To Early Childhood Transitions: Birth to Kindergarten

Helping Children With Special Needs Transition to Kindergarten

Making the Move From Preschool to Kindergarten

Transitioning from Early Childhood Special Education to Kindergarten

Transitioning from Preschool Special Education to Kindergarten

Tools for Improving Child Find

OSEP Part B 619 Child Find Self-Assessment (CFSA)

OSEP, with the collaboration and support of the ECTA Center and DaSy Center (for Sections II and III), developed this voluntary self-assessment tool to help Local Education Agencies (LEAs) strengthen their ChildFind system with the goal of ensuring children eligible for special education and related services are referred and enrolled. This toolkit can also be used by State Education Agencies (SEAs) to look across LEAs to support understanding and documenting their work around child find regulations, identifying best practices, and improving the efficiency of their Child Find efforts.

Nebraska Department of Education Crosswalk of Early Childhood-Related Endorsements

Crosswalk of Early Childhood-Related Endorsements

Federal Guidance for Preschool

Educational Environments Ages 3-5 – LRE Data Reporting Tool
Federal Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) related to Preschool Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) 2017
Federal Policy Statement on Expulsion and Suspension Policies In Early Childhood Settings (2016)
Federal Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs (2023)
OSEP Memo RTI Cannot Be Used to Delay-Deny an Evaluation for Preschool (2016)
US DOE Non-Regulatory Guidance Early Learning in the Every Student Succeeds Act (2016)

NeMTSS Framework

NeMTSS Framework Home

Early Childhood Special Education Services

Teaching Strategies GOLD

Results Matter Technical Assistance Website

GOLD Entry/Exit Checklists

Nebraska TS GOLD Helpdesk

tsgold@nebraskacloud.org

GOLD Program Resources

Gold Administrator

Teaching Strategies GOLD Professional Development

Early Childhood Special Education Guidance

Video Series

Preschool (Ages 3-5) LRE Toolkit

Making Sound Preschool LRE Decisions