Part C to Part B IssuesPart C to Part B Issues

Three Part PresentationThree Part Presentationtoto

Special Education Advisory CouncilSpecial Education Advisory Council

byby

Center on Disability StudiesCenter on Disability Studies

December 12, 2008December 12, 2008

I

Should Part C Early Intervention Services be

Extended to Children ages 3-5?

Jean Johnson, DrPHBeppie Shapiro, PhDLily Matsubara, MA

Purpose of Act 289Purpose of Act 289

To study the To study the feasibilityfeasibility of of expanding eligibilityexpanding eligibility, pursuant to Part C , pursuant to Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, for services from the Education Act, for services from the Department of Health’s Early Department of Health’s Early Intervetnion Section to children Intervetnion Section to children between 3 and 5 yearsbetween 3 and 5 years old who have old who have developmental disabilities.developmental disabilities.

““Not everything that can be Not everything that can be countedcounted counts, and not counts, and not

everything that everything that countscounts can be can be counted.”counted.”

Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein

Work of Survey CommitteeWork of Survey Committee

Reviewed all previous preschool Reviewed all previous preschool surveys and results in Hawai`isurveys and results in Hawai`i

Identified items to be includedIdentified items to be included Delegated to a sub-committee Delegated to a sub-committee

responsibility for developing surveyresponsibility for developing survey Reviewed drafts by emailReviewed drafts by email Approved final survey and processApproved final survey and process Obtained IRB approval for surveyObtained IRB approval for survey

Teacher Response RatesTeacher Response Rates

CountyCounty

ResponseResponse

PercentPercent

Kaua`iKaua`i 37.537.5

O`ahuO`ahu 50.750.7

Hawai`iHawai`i 32.432.4

MauiMaui 41.941.9

StateState 47.147.1

Return Rate for SurveysReturn Rate for Surveys

CountyCounty

Surveys Surveys

DistributedDistributed

SurveysSurveys

ReturnedReturned

ReturnReturn

RateRate

Kaua`iKaua`i 2020 4747 ????

O`ahuO`ahu 555555 363363 65%65%

Hawai`iHawai`i 8181 3232 39%39%

MauiMaui 6060 1717 28%28%

StateState 716716 459459 64%64%

Ages of the ChildrenAges of the Children

(Birth years)(Birth years)

2003 – 235 (51%)2003 – 235 (51%)

2004 – 204 (44%)2004 – 204 (44%)

Description of Child NeedsDescription of Child Needs

Speech-Language 142 (31%)Speech-Language 142 (31%)

Health-Medical 8 (2%)Health-Medical 8 (2%)

Developmental Delay 144 (31%)Developmental Delay 144 (31%)

AutismAutism 35 (8%) 35 (8%)

Missing DataMissing Data 130 (28%) 130 (28%)

Age WhenAge When

Early Intervention ServicesEarly Intervention Services

BeganBegan

Average age:Average age: 19 months 19 months

Median age:Median age: 24 months 24 months

Range: Range: 0-35 months0-35 months

Question 6Question 6

How did you feel when you How did you feel when you learned your child could not learned your child could not

have early intervention services have early intervention services after your child’s third after your child’s third

birthday?birthday?

Comments – Question 6Comments – Question 6

Positive:Positive: 28 (10%) 28 (10%)

Negative:Negative: 140 (52%) 140 (52%)

Uncertain/Mixed:Uncertain/Mixed: 99 (37%) 99 (37%)

Question 7Question 7

When your child turned When your child turned three years old, did you want three years old, did you want

your child to stay in early your child to stay in early intervention longer instead of intervention longer instead of

starting DOE preschool?starting DOE preschool?

At age 3 – wanted continued At age 3 – wanted continued early intervention servicesearly intervention services

Yes:Yes: 22%22%

No:No: 46%46%

N/R:N/R: 31%31%

Question 8Question 8

Now, after your Now, after your experiences, would you have experiences, would you have wanted your child to stay in wanted your child to stay in

early intervention longer early intervention longer instead of starting preschool?instead of starting preschool?

Now think staying in early Now think staying in early intervention services intervention services

would have been better:would have been better:

Yes:Yes: 11% 11%

No:No: 57% 57%

N/R:N/R: 31% 31%

Question 17Question 17

Compared with your Compared with your feelings when your child feelings when your child

started DOE preschool, how do started DOE preschool, how do you feel now?you feel now?

Current FeelingsCurrent Feelings

Less satisfied:Less satisfied: 3% 3%

Feelings unchanged:Feelings unchanged: 9% 9%

More satisfied:More satisfied: 84%84%

No response:No response: 4% 4%

SummarySummary

The response rate was excellent in terms The response rate was excellent in terms of the number of surveys distributed.of the number of surveys distributed.

However, for reasons that are not clear, However, for reasons that are not clear, the responses probably represent less the responses probably represent less than one-fourth of the number of children than one-fourth of the number of children enrolled in preschool special education.enrolled in preschool special education.

Families feel strongly about the issues as Families feel strongly about the issues as evidenced by the great many comments.evidenced by the great many comments.

What was counted…What was counted…

Families are initially apprehensive about Families are initially apprehensive about the transition to DOE pre school.the transition to DOE pre school.

But at age three, less than one-fourth of But at age three, less than one-fourth of the families wanted more early the families wanted more early intervention services.intervention services.

Then, after experiencing DOE preschool, a Then, after experiencing DOE preschool, a majority of families do not think further majority of families do not think further early intervention services would have early intervention services would have been better for their child.been better for their child.

What wasn’t counted … What wasn’t counted …

How the other three-fourths of families How the other three-fourths of families might feel.might feel.

Whether all families understand the Whether all families understand the importance of inclusion for young children importance of inclusion for young children with disabilities.with disabilities.

Data on the small percentage of families Data on the small percentage of families who felt their child would benefit from a who felt their child would benefit from a longer transition period with continued Part longer transition period with continued Part C services – and how they would “benefit.” C services – and how they would “benefit.”

No data are available…No data are available…

On the number of Part C/Part B-eligible On the number of Part C/Part B-eligible children who may benefit from a longer children who may benefit from a longer transition period with continued early transition period with continued early intervention services.intervention services.

On the number of Part C/Part B non-eligible On the number of Part C/Part B non-eligible children who still may benefit from early children who still may benefit from early intervention services.intervention services.

On the number of non-Part C children ages 3-5 On the number of non-Part C children ages 3-5 who might benefit from early intervention who might benefit from early intervention services.services.

Summary StatementsSummary Statements

Resources were inadequate to complete Resources were inadequate to complete the work outlined for the Task Force.the work outlined for the Task Force.

However, the work completed provides However, the work completed provides valuable information for policy formation.valuable information for policy formation.

Available data Available data do not supportdo not support a change in a change in policy regarding provision of services to policy regarding provision of services to preschool children with disabilities.preschool children with disabilities.

Available data Available data do suggestdo suggest significant areas significant areas for improvement in early intervention and for improvement in early intervention and preschool special education.preschool special education.

Recommendation from Recommendation from Study AuthorsStudy Authors

1.1. Make no changes in current Make no changes in current policy unless there is policy unless there is significant further significant further study study and and adequate fundingadequate funding to support to support any changes in policy.any changes in policy.

RecommendationRecommendation

2.2. Ask the Early Intervention Ask the Early Intervention Coordinating Council to review the Coordinating Council to review the data and family comments to data and family comments to determine how early intervention determine how early intervention services could be more responsive services could be more responsive to to family needs.family needs.

RecommendationRecommendation

3.3. Ask the Special Education Ask the Special Education Advisory Council to review the Advisory Council to review the data data and family comments to and family comments to determine determine how preschool services how preschool services could be could be more inclusive and more inclusive and responsive to responsive to family needs.family needs.

RecommendationRecommendation

4.4. Ask the STEPS Team to review Ask the STEPS Team to review the data and continue to work to the data and continue to work to make the transition process as make the transition process as

seamless and supportive of seamless and supportive of families as possible.families as possible.

www.cds.hawaii.edu/3to5www.cds.hawaii.edu/3to5

Task Force MembersTask Force Members

Information on all meetingsInformation on all meetings

Copies of all presentationsCopies of all presentations

Resource materialsResource materials

II.II.Independent Study on Part C OptionIndependent Study on Part C Option

32 states did not give specific reasons32 states did not give specific reasons

9 states indicated lack of funding as 9 states indicated lack of funding as primary reason for not considering Part C primary reason for not considering Part C option option

- Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, - Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Massachusetts, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Massachusetts, WashingtonWashington

Oklahoma made attempt at proposing to state Oklahoma made attempt at proposing to state legislature but proposal was declinedlegislature but proposal was declined

New Mexico waiting for final regulations to be New Mexico waiting for final regulations to be released and then apply for Part C option released and then apply for Part C option because already giving families the option to because already giving families the option to remain in EI until the next school year. remain in EI until the next school year.

Oregon, Pennsylvania & Wyoming – Part C Oregon, Pennsylvania & Wyoming – Part C Option is relatively irrelevant because EI is Option is relatively irrelevant because EI is already serving children from birth to five or already serving children from birth to five or school age programs.school age programs.

Vermont expressing interest in the Part C Vermont expressing interest in the Part C option. option.