The Office of Early Learning and School Readiness provides technical assistance and resources for our partners working with families, preschool staff and communities to meet the individual needs of preschool children with disabilities. The goal of this manual is to offer information to preschool programs and school districts that are responsible…

Some of the most critical soft skills (i.e., nontechnical, interpersonal skills that impact personal performance in an environment such as school or the workplace) that students must acquire as they mature are the skills to act or cause things to happen in their lives. Providing instruction to increase these skills--all part of…

The Ohio Department of Education's Office of Early Learning and School Readiness provides technical assistance and resources for their partners working with families, preschool staff, and communities to meet the individual needs of preschool children with disabilities. The goal of this manual is to offer information to preschool programs and…

This guide was developed for PreK-12 leaders interested in exploring innovative approaches to evaluating student learning. Specifically, the authors sought to identify promising practices in evaluating critically important learning outcomes that infrequently get evaluated, such as career readiness skills, social and emotional competencies, and…

Federal and state education laws have not changed since the COVID-19 outbreak. Because they were not meant to be implemented during a pandemic, schools and parents are facing barriers in implementing IEPs and 504 plans with remote learning at home. More than ever students will need strong advocates to express concerns and collaborate with school…

The fundamental intent of special education is to provide instruction to meet each child's unique needs. "Life Journey through Autism: Navigating the Special Education System" offers information, tools, and tips that will help parents become an even more effective advocate for their children. Many teachers, administrators, and school…

The Multimethods Model organizes the learning activities of preschool classes for gifted children and assures a differentiated curriculum geared to the individual student. Model components include prescriptive instruction, acceleration of content, building self-direction, creative divergent problem solving, affective guidance, cultivation of…

The concept of coaching can be operationalized to support the growth, change, and commitment of staff, families, and children participating in integrated preschool intervention programs. Coaching is a strategy for facilitating accomplishment; it is a process whereby a coach and a player work together with the intention of realizing a player's…

A child's third birthday is an important day. Aside from being a time to celebrate, it also marks the transition from Help Me Grow Infant and Toddler Intervention services to a preschool option. This transition changes the services available to a parent and how they are provided, as the focus moves from a child with a disability or developmental…

This article describes requirements for developing Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) under Part H of the Education of the Handicapped Act. Components of the IFSP document are reviewed and process considerations are discussed. State-level and local-level strategies for implementing family-centered IFSP processes are highlighted. (Author/PB)

This guide was developed to introduce families of young children with disabilities to the early intervention system. It describes early intervention services and defines the roles and responsibilities of parents and practitioners. The guide uses a question and answer format to present information on the following topics: (1) what is early…

As any parent of a child with autism knows, your life changes and you take on new roles after your child receives a diagnosis of autism. Ready or not, you are now expected to be an expert on interventions, support professionals, and special education. Suddenly, your concerns and worries are different from the parents around you. While they may be…

This monograph presents identified best practices in the development of Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) as required for families who have young children with disabilities, by Public Law 99-457, the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments (1986). Chapter One presents an overview of the monograph's development and use. Chapter Two…

This guide is intended for use in training Head Start staff working with families to plan and implement the program's curriculum through an individualized child development and education approach. The guide focuses specifically on enhancing staff skills in carrying out the four steps in the individualizing process: screening; evaluation; planning;…

The guide, a support document to the Oklahoma State Plan for Special Education, presents a policies and procedures manual for special education in Oklahoma in accordance with the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142). The manual is intended to establish the minimum standards for special education program approval, to establish…