Programmatic Tools and Resources to Support Preschool Children with Disabilities in the Mixed Delivery System
- Child Find in Early Childhood
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The IDEA requires that children with disabilities be identified, located, and evaluated. An effective child find system is an ongoing part of an SAU's responsibility to ensure that a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) is made available to all eligible children with disabilities. In early childhood, because children may not yet be in school, locating preschool-age children with disabilities requires state and local education agencies to develop and support an ongoing system for notifying families and community members about evaluation opportunities when there is a concern about delays in children's development. It also requires that families and community members be familiar with the expected skills and behaviors in early childhood, and what might constitute a delay.
- Child Find in Early Childhood Special Education — Maine Unified Special Education Regulations (MUSER) includes Child Find requirements for the state.
- CDC Developmental Milestones — includes checklists and videos of age expected development from birth through five years old.
- Cohort Meeting Presentation on Child Find- The September 2025 presentation included a review of Child Find Components, clarifying key differences between 3–5-year-olds and K-12 3. Documentation and timeline requirements were also included as well as a graphic outlining the process.
- One Page Info on Child Find in SAUs - Technical assistance document condensed into one page for Child Find
- IDEA Part C to Part B Transition
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Children aged 0-3 that receive Early Intervention (EI) services from Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act have the potential to receive Part B Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) services for children ages 3-5. Timely transition activities start while in Early Intervention to describe services available once the child turns three and Early Intervention ends. Coordinated activities to ensure eligible children have an Individualized Education Program prior to age three include:
- Descriptions of available programs and services, differences between EI and ECSE
- Sharing of information about timelines and locations for the Transition Conference, evaluation, and IEP meetings with schools
- Sharing information about the parent's ability to opt-out of the notification to schools that the child is potentially eligible for special education
- Overview of the C to B Transition Process
- Graphic and Description of the C to B Transition Process Timeline
- Preschool Environments and Least Restrictive Environments (LRE)
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Access, participation, and engagement are important goals for all children to develop the skills and behaviors needed to be prepared to enter into school-age learning environments. Research shows that settings in which preschool-aged children with disabilities learn alongside typically developing peers have been shown to have the most impact on both groups of children (National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance, 2022). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act states, "in determining the placement of a child with a disability, that the child is educated in the school he or she would attend if nondisabled, unless the IEP requires some other arrangement" (34 CFR §300.116(c)).
Presentations
- FAPE in Public Schools - LRE Placement and SAU funding responsibilities within a mixed delivery system
- Considerations for Determining LRE in Early Childhood Special Education with Scenarios
- Least Restrictive Environment Codes — Reference for Each Environment on the Continuum of Placement Options
- B6 Data Tool — Using the Decision Tree to Help Find the Appropriate Category for a Preschool-Aged Child
Self-Assessment of Inclusive Practices
- Local Program Indicators and Elements of High-Quality Inclusion
- Early Care and Education Environment Indicators and Elements of High-Quality Inclusion
Environmental and Instructional Supports for Positive Behavior
The practices needed to support children's positive social-emotional development and prevent unwanted behaviors are described in the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations, Positive Behavior Intervention Systems (PBIS), and Universal Design for Learners (UDL). The Pyramid Model practices align with PBIS as a multi-tiered system of supports specific to early childhood and early childhood environments.
- Tier 1 practices — support the learning needs of approximately 80% of young learners in early childhood programs. These practices focus on environmental supports — the physical, social, and academic supports needed for all children to learn. Aspects such as the physical structures of room arrangement and material positioning, to visual supports and predictable, structured school-day schedules, top the literature.
- Tier 2 practices — explicit instruction in social skills, self-regulation, and problem solving, continuing the Tier 1 preventative practices for the next 15% of children.
- Tier 3 practices — for the 1-5% of children who need support beyond Tiers 1 and 2, information about individualized intensive interventions is included here. Professionals' use of evidence-based practices and tools, including the following, may be beneficial:
- Providing Intensive Individualized Intervention
- Considerations for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma
- Individualized Interventions for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma
- Antecedent - Behavior - Consequence (ABC) Observation Cards
- ABC Data Collection tool
- Checklist of Early Childhood Practices that Support Social Emotional Development and Trauma-Informed Care
Professional Development to Support Positive Behaviors
- IRIS Center Modules: Early Childhood Environments: Designing Effective Classrooms, Classroom Reinforcement Systems, Early Childhood Behavior Management: Developing and Teaching Rules, English Learners with Disabilities: Supporting Young Children in the Classroom
- National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Recorded Webinars
- Head Start Learning Management System: Individualized professional development for early childhood educators
- Pyramid Model: Is PBIS for Early Childhood. Like SW-PBIS, the Pyramid Model is a multi-tiered framework comprising a continuum of evidence-based practices organized into three tiers: promotion, prevention, and intervention. However, the Pyramid Model is uniquely designed to address the needs and contexts of programs serving infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, including children in public school early childhood classrooms and early childhood care and education programs in each community.
- Basics — National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations — describes the basic principles, the tiers of support, published research findings (2016, 2021), and resources, including impact stories, implementation roadmaps, videos, and other print resources.
- Video — 8-minute YouTube video illustrates the framework of evidence-based practices to promote positive social-emotional development.
- The Child Outcomes Summary (COS) Process
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The Child Outcomes Summary Process is a required assessment process to measure the growth and development of preschool-age children with disabilities who receive special education services. It is a consistent way to rate a child's functioning relative to age-expectant behavior at specific points in time. Children in early childhood special education programs are assessed at the beginning and at the end of their programming time to capture this development using the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) process. The Child Outcomes Summary (COS) process is a federally mandated activity designed to gauge effective programming and achievement of children's age-expected development. COS professional development opportunities to build ECSE provider capacity is available on demand. SAUs will conduct the COS process as children enter and exit the program and report outcomes data to the Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education (OSSIE). Once programs are collecting and reporting data, the next step is to evaluate the results, and then identify areas of strength and needs. Evaluating Implementation of Evidence-based Practices Webinar | DaSy Center can support transitioning to a focus of increasing use of evidence-based practices that can result in improved outcomes.
Professional Development
- Obtaining Child Outcomes Summary Process Training through Maine's Learning Management System: Flyer
- COS Process Overview Information — Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA)
- COS Process Training Modules (ECTA)
- Cohort 1 Presentation on Child Outcomes Summary Process for:
- COS Process Fact Sheet and Q & A
- COS Parent Training and Preparation Resources — to support parent participation
Practice Implementation Resources
- COS Process Checklist
- COS Process Quick Reference Guide
- Age Anchoring Tool for Child Development in Three Outcome Areas
- COS Ratings Definitions
- COS Decision Tree for Summary Ratings Discussions
- Questions and Answers when Using the 7 Point Scale for the Child Outcomes Summary Process
- COS Team Note-taking Guide During Age-Anchoring Discussions
- COS Documentation Form for Team Decisions — Sample downloadable file to record COS team documentation for entry or exit data
- Educator Certification, Licensure, Practice Standards, Recruitment and Retention
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Delivery of Special Education Services for Preschool Aged Children
- Presentation: Certification Supports for Teachers of Children with Disabilities Birth to School Age 5 (282B)
Licensure of Related Service Providers
- Occupational Therapy — Board of Occupational Therapy Practice
- Physical Therapy — Board of Physical Therapy
- Speech Language Therapy — Board of Speech, Audiology and Hearing
- Educational Technician — Title 20-A, §13019-H: Educational technician certificate
- School Psychologist — 093 Certificate Requirements and Application Materials
- Social Work — State Board of Social Worker Licensure
Certificates in Elementary and Public PreK Settings
The Early Learning Team at the Maine Department of Education created the Preschool Guidebook, providing comprehensive guidance to establish and expand public PreK in Maine. The guidebook includes standards, structures, and supports for SAUs that choose to offer high-quality programming to meet the diverse needs of preschoolers, families, and communities. These programs are offering or have the potential to be inclusive settings for preschool children with disabilities. The following certificates qualify educators to provide early childhood general education.
Provider Qualifications in Private Childcare Programs
Preschool-aged children may attend non-public, private childcare programs and receive their special education services in that location. When special education services to preschool-aged children with disabilities are delivered here, they are to be designed and delivered by certified special education teachers. Children are included in and can benefit from the day-to-day learning activities in childcare programs delivered by professionals who meet licensing standards. Schools will determine if the private childcare setting meets the requirements of a Free Appropriate Public Education to ensure the education program meets the standard of the State.
Provider Qualifications in Head Start Programs
Educational programs in Head Start classrooms are also opportune locations for children with disabilities to access high quality early learning environments; they enhance early childhood services for low-income and other at-risk children and families. Educator qualifications in these settings are represented in the following document:
Several national early childhood technical assistance organizations have collaborated to develop Early Childhood Special Education Standards of Practice. Additionally, they have made available supportive resources to ensure educator preparation programs have readily available tools to support recruitment and retention efforts and offer tools for personnel development to enhance the workforce.
Standards
- The Initial Practice-Based Professional Preparation Standards for Early Interventionists/Early Childhood Special Educators (2020) represent the first formal standards to focus specifically on the preparation of early interventionists and early childhood special educators who work with young children ages birth through 8 years of age who have or are at-risk for developmental delays and disabilities and their families, across home, classroom and community settings.
Course Development Resources
- Institutes of higher education course development resources from the national technical assistance center, Early Childhood Personnel Center, aligned programs of study to state and national professional organization personnel standards and Cross-Disciplinary Competencies, integrated Division for Early Childhood Recommended Practices (RP) into programs of study, and used evidence-based adult learning practices to create resources to support IHE programs of study. Early Childhood Personnel Center (ECPC) Course Development and Curriculum Resources for EI/ECSE Standards
Practical Application Tools
- The Division of Early Childhood and the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center teamed up to offer guidance on implementing evidence-based recommended practices through practice improvement tools and self-assessments for practitioners and families in both English and Spanish.
Recruitment and Retention
Recruitment and retention of practitioners in early care and education are essential elements in delivering high-quality programs. The following resources are designed to aid in these efforts:
- Supportive Practices Research for Recruitment and Retention of Staff
- Special Educator Engagement, Development and Support (SEEDS) Alternative Certificate Program — Maine's Alternative Certification and Mentoring Program
- Early Childhood Professional Development Network's Registry: Growth Opportunities through Maine Roads to Quality
- Department of Health ECE Workforce Salary Monthly Supplement System for Practitioners in Licensed Sites
- Fiscal Information and Resources
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The P.L. 2023, c.643, part W legislative initiative supporting school administrative units (SAU) to offer preschool programming for children with disabilities designated dedicated funding for SAUs to provide FAPE to preschool-aged children with disabilities. The Preschool Special Education Program Fund provides funding for general education and special education and related services for children eligible under Part B, Section 619, through a quarterly allocation. The funding information for SAUs providing FAPE to preschool children with disabilities below includes processes for program application, acceptance, documentation, allocation schedules, and expenditure reporting.
Onboarding Overview
The Maine Department of Education pays 100% of the PreK Special Education program costs reported to the department in the Maine Education Finance System, quarterly. Expenditures must be reasonable and necessary.
Accounting Codes for Budget Preparation
Expense Codes
- 2213 — All ECSE expenses
Revenue Codes
- 3128 — Allocation
- 3128 — PreK Setup Funds
- 4508 — PreK MaineCare
- 3122 — PreK State Agency Client
Fiscal Presentations for Cohort Schools Adopting FAPE
- September 24, 2025 — Cohort 2 Informational Meeting: This session presents information about submitting child count data for funding and the enrollment process for preschool children with disabilities. [YouTube] [PreK Enrollment and Child Count Presentation]
- October 8, 2025 — This informational session provided an overview of fiscal reporting, covering topics such as submission of enrollment child counts, collection dates, funding streams, payment calculation, reconciliation reports, and contact information for assistance. [YouTube] [CDS FAPE Fiscal Presentation]
- February 4, 2026 — The meeting focused on introducing a new early childhood special education monitoring tool within the Grants for Maine system. The session included an overview of the tool's functionality, including how to navigate the system, enter expenditure data, and document high-cost placements. The tool will be used for fiscal oversight of early childhood special education funds, with reports due 30 days after each quarter. [YouTube] [Grants4ME Presentation]
- February 25, 2026 — School Finance presentation on Early Childhood Special Education funding and building a needs-based budget. Additionally, information was shared on reporting requirements, enrollment data reporting, uploading into Grants4ME, account codes, billing MaineCare, and State Agency Clients. [Budgets and Funding in Early Childhood Special Education]
Allocations
The quarterly allocation is based on the submitted count of the number of children eligible in the SAU. The count is submitted on the first day of each quarter. Payments are made within two weeks of the count.
- Sample Funding Allocation Quarterly Calculation Estimator Worksheet
- Early Allocations
Expenditures and Reporting
Fiscal guidance documents
- Building an Early Childhood Special Education Budget Based on Student Need
- Administrative Staffing Decision Matrix
- Guidance on Administrative Positions
- Special Purpose Private Schools Daily Rate Sheet
Applications for purchasing transportation or making capital improvements
- Transportation Purchases Instructions
- Transportation Pre-Approval Application
- Capital improvement project approval application
- Data Resources and Information
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Section 618 under Part B of the IDEA requires each state to submit data about children with disabilities who receive special education and related services. Each state collects and submits data that describes the activities and performance of its programs serving young children with disabilities. The following data collections include information about descriptions and timelines.
- Indicator 6 (Ongoing) — The number and percent of preschool-aged children with disabilities enrolled in the various placement options by LRE code. Data collected in SAU's NEO data reporting system.
- Indicator 7 (Due July 1) — The Child Outcomes Summary process yields ratings for preschool-aged children on three functional outcomes at entry and exit from the program.
- Indicator 8 (During SAU Monitoring) — Represents the percentage of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with disabilities.
- Indicator 11, Child Find (Ongoing) — Represents the unduplicated count of children with disabilities with IEPs in the SAU. Includes disability category, age, school site, race/ethnicity, and home language. Data is input through the SAU's NEO data reporting system.
- Indicator 12 (Due July 1) — The number and percent of children referred from Part C Early Intervention who received an IEP prior to turning three years old. Collected during SEA monitoring.
- SAU Child Count for Fiscal Allocations (Quarterly)
- Expense Reporting (Quarterly)
Early Childhood Special Education Results Data
Results data include information on child counts, transition timeliness, disability percentages, preschool environments, and educational outcomes for children in early childhood special education programs, in many cases over multiple years. A presentation on Early Childhood Special Education Results Data for FFY23 and FFY24 was delivered to Cohort 1 schools on December 18, 2024.