Although research is somewhat limited, Rivera et al. (2019) provide some guidance for successful practices for young children who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD), more specifically those who are identified as English learners. Across their literature review, common themes for…

Classrooms are increasingly more diverse, and student success can be enhanced through family engagement, especially for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students with disabilities. Too often teachers are stymied by how to engage CLD families of children with disabilities. Common practices of parent involvement are ineffective and fail…

Research Findings: The "Early Education Essentials" surveys use teacher and parent perceptions to measure 6 organizational conditions of early childhood education programs, extending and complementing existing measures of early childhood care and education (ECE) quality constructs. This study tests the reliability and concurrent validity…

School readiness occurs within a broad context that includes the four components of community, educational environment, family and the individual child. These four components function as interdependent systems of support that have multidirectional influences. Early childhood experiences, from birth through age 8, are necessary for school success…

In October 2015, the Kansas State Board of Education announced a new vision for education in Kansas. The Kansans CAN Vision - "Kansas leads the world in the success of each student" - became the branded theme for Kansas education. This initiative motivated the creation of this document. Kindergarten Readiness is one of five Kansas State…

The sphere of early childhood education care (ECEC) in the Czech Republic has diversified enormously in the last decade. The article describes this diversification process and, drawing on focus group data, analyses parents' choices within this diversified realm. Based on the parents' selection criteria (significantly influenced by constraints and…

Gateway Public Schools--a middle and high school serving a diverse group of about 800 students in San Francisco--was founded in 1998 by parents of students with learning disabilities seeking a supportive environment for their children. As a public charter organization with a lottery entrance system, Gateway seeks to admit a student body that…

This chapter addresses the importance of community in fostering transformative learning and living environments for children with special needs. Community is conceptualized as a special kind of relationship between people, who, regardless of geography, share common values, concerns, interests, or experiences. This understanding of community as…

The "Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools" online module is intended for all school personnel, including administrators, instructional staff, and non-instructional staff. The module familiarizes school staff with the concept of trauma sensitivity and includes examples of trauma-sensitive strategies that can be employed schoolwide.…

This Handout Packet includes all of the downloadable resources found throughout the Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools online module. Each of these handouts is available for individual download as staff work through the module together during professional development events. Most handouts are relevant to all school staff and two handouts are…

The Native American Needs Assessment Action Plan is designed to assist educators and administrators in addressing the needs and areas of possible opportunity that have been identified through the annual Native American Needs Assessment conducted by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. The Action Plan is organized around areas of need…

Young children are gaining access to and enrolling in preschool programs across the country in increasing numbers. Unfortunately, the quality of these programs varies tremendously. The highest quality programs disproportionately serve children from the most advantaged homes. By contrast, lower quality and less effective programs disproportionately…

In October 2015, the Kansas State Board of Education announced a new vision for education in Kansas--the Kansans CAN vision. "Kansas leads the world in the success of each student" became the branded theme for Kansas education. The Kansans CAN vision for education calls for a more child-focused system providing support and resources for…

Leaders, policymakers, and systems developers seek to improve early childhood programs through data driven decision-making. Data can be useful for informing continuous quality improvement efforts at the classroom and program level and for creating support for workforce development at the system level. Early childhood program leaders use…

How do school communities create environments that fully prepare both English learners and dual-language learners for colleges and careers? This valuable book profiles six high-performing high schools that had a singular focus on improving the educational outcomes of English learners. The authors use these case studies to identify a comprehensive…