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Policy 

HSOLC classrooms are inclusive where children with and without disabilities learn together.  Inclusive experiences for children and their families foster a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learning to reach their full potential.  The HSOLC Education and Disabilities Consultant, along with the ECE Coordinators, monitor the needs of enrolled children with disabilities and their families, including those who are not eligible for services under IDEA, to ensure they have access to and can fully participate in the full range of activities and services HSOLC offers.

Procedure

  1. HSOLC maintains an Interagency Agreement with Early Childhood CARES, the early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) program for Lane County, and updates it annually. 
    1. Interagency Agreement will include each agency’s responsibilities regarding screening, referral, evaluation, and services. 
  2. HSOLC will support children with disabilities who are eligible for special education services under IDEA or in the process of evaluation for services to have access and fully participate in the full range of activities and services HSOLC offers. 
    1. ECE Coordinators will schedule meetings between classroom staff and ECSE providers a minimum of quarterly to coordinate services to children eligible for special education services to ensure the following:
      1. Children are receiving services as specified in their IFSP. 
      2. Children are working toward their IFSP goals. 
      3. ECSE and/or related specialists (ie., SLP, PT/OT) will provide consultation to classroom staff as needed to support individualization and full participation in classroom activities to the extent possible. 
      4. Services are being provided in the Early Head Start or Head Start classroom to the greatest extent possible.
      5. Coordination of services to families and to support family participation in the IFSP.
    2. Coordination meetings will include time to discuss referral and evaluation of children suspected of developmental delays.
  3. HSOLC will support children with disabilities who are not eligible for special education services or whose families have declined special education services to have access and fully participate in the full range of activities and services HSOLC offers. 
    1. ECE Coordinators and/or the Health Services team will provide consultation to classroom staff as needed to support individualization and full participation in classroom activities to the extent possible. 
    2. Teaching Staff, ECE Coordinators, and/or Family Support staff will make referrals to other community supports and services for the child and family as needed or requested. 
    3. ECE Coordinators and teaching staff will continue to monitor children who are not eligible and will re-refer for special education services as needed. 
    4. Staff will continue to support families that have declined special education services with:
      1. Accessing other needed community supports as needed or requested. 
      2. Understanding their right to still access special education services in the future.
    5. For all children with disabilities, regardless of eligibility under IDEA, ECE Coordinators and classroom teachers will coordinate with families, ECSE staff, and/or school district staff to support transition to kindergarten.  Support may include but is not limited to, sharing information and transition summaries, participation in transition meetings, child observations, or site visits to receiving schools. 

This policy complies with Head Start Performance Standard 45CFR Section 1302.60, 1302.61, 1302.62, and 1302.63.
It was approved by Policy Council November 2021