The "State Benchmarks of Quality" is used by a collaborative State Leadership Team(SLT) to assess progress and plan future actions so that Recommended Practices (RPs) are available for providers and families statewide. The Benchmarks are grounded in the science of implementation which bridges the gap between an evidence-based practice…

Improving school climate takes time and commitment from a variety of people in a variety of roles. This document outlines how family members--including guardians of students--can support school climate improvements. Key action steps are provided for the following strategies: (1) Participate in planning for school climate improvements; (2) Engage…

The Kentucky System of Interventions (KSI) framework emphasizes optimizing instruction through targeted accelerated learning, development of teacher expertise and responsiveness to the needs of all learners. This approach to Response to Intervention (RtI) provides the structures needed for closing achievement gaps, ensuring readiness to learn and…

This "feature issue" focuses on early intervention with handicapped children, with an emphasis on: Project EDGE (Expanding Developmental Growth through Education), an early intervention research project initiated in 1968; strategies for developing family-friendly early intervention services; and progress reports from various states and…

Developed to provide assistance in the building of an effective home-based program for Head Start children and their families, this handbook may serve as a blueprint for parent-focused home visits that assist the child and family to meet their special needs. Chapter one focuses on the home visitation model for providing services to families and…

Children benefit when their parents or caregivers are actively involved in their out-of-school learning. Yet a new report by the Harvard Family Research Project and United Way of Massachusetts Bay finds that only a quarter of programs surveyed had effectively incorporated families. This guide, funded by the Wallace Foundation under its Parents and…

This guide, designed for principals, on-site leaders or administrators, describes the implementation of the "Actions for Health" series, a comprehensive elementary school (Grades K-6) instructional program for health education. The guide is organized into four sections. The first section, "The Principal's Role," describes the steps a principal is…

The principles and practices of successful parent centers in urban schools are presented so that parents and staff can use them when developing a center. The successful center begins with adoption of a model or philosophy to guide parents and staff. An interactive learning model is suggested as the most workable one, and its principles are…

This practicum addresses the problem of limited interaction between physical therapists and families of developmentally delayed/physically impaired preschool-age children. A program was developed in which the physical therapist was videotaped handling and exercising a child, while explaining the purpose of the movements and instructing the parent…

This final report describes a project in Vermont which developed, implemented, evaluated, and disseminated a program development model for establishing new, and for improving existing, comprehensive early childhood special education services to young (birth to 5 years) children with disabilities and their families in rural settings. The model…

Developed to help the home visitor build an effective home-based program for Head Start children and their families, this handbook is intended to serve as a blueprint for parent-focused home visits that assist the child and family to meet their full potential. The first chapter lays a foundation for the program that includes a home-based…

This guide looks at implementation of principles of inclusive schools from the perspectives of parents, teachers, district and school administrators, and policymakers and is based on data from interviews, surveys, and focus groups. Each perspective is represented in a different chapter of the report, with implications or recommendations for the…

The procedural safeguards required by the Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities Program (Part C) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are intended to protect the interests of families with infants and toddlers with special needs and of the early intervention system. Early intervention system personnel are legally obligated to…

This document consists of a compilation of information on various aspects of the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities (Part C) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 1997 (IDEA). It collects a variety of resources that meet the information needs of state and jurisdictional Part C program staff, the…

This guide provides an understanding of the scope and purpose of educational services in Vermont for young children with handicaps and their families. Section titles are as follows, with chapter titles in parentheses: (1) "Overall Program Development" ("Programmatic Philosophy and Policies,""Planning and…