States Must Ensure Inclusive Early Childhood Programs & Sufficient Resources For High-Quality Programs For Those With Disabilities

Under updated federal expectations, states must ensure that all children are offered inclusive early childhood programs and must offer sufficient resources to support high-quality individualized programming for children with disabilities. This expectation extends to children served through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Head Start, child care, home visiting, preschool, and public school programs.

The expectation of inclusion was emphasized in a joint statement issued by the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS). The statement included 10 broad recommendations that addressed public policy, funding, communication with parents, workforce development, and . . .