Curriculum Framework in Early Learning Settings
The purpose of this resource document is to assist school division leaders who are implementing or planning to implement an evidence-based curriculum in early childhood programs for young children, including those with developmental delays or disabilities. Early childhood educators may need assistance as they engage young children and provide access to the classroom curriculum. This document may be used as a tool for professional development and training around the curriculum. Preschool children...
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Co-Teaching in Preschool Webinar
Co-teaching team, Shannon Mackey (Special Education Teacher) and Danielle Sentz (General Education Teacher) present a webinar on the basic of co-teaching in an inclusive Pre-K setting. As the first Pre-K team to join VDOE’s Excellence in Co-Teaching Initiative, they provide insight on how to incorporate Dr. Marilyn Friend’s co-teaching models in a setting with young children both with and without disabilities.
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Virginia's Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS), Birth-Five Learning Guidelines
This document is Virginia's new set of comprehensive early learning and development standards for young children, birth to age five. The new standards focus on five Areas of Development: Approaches to Play and Learning; Social and Emotional Development; Communication, Language, and Literacy Development; Health and Physical Development and Cognitive Development. All birth to five programs are expected to implement the new standards by Fall 2021.
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CLASS Observation Trainings
To help build local CLASS® Observer capacity in support of the new Unified Virginia Quality Birth to Five System (VQB5), the Virginia Department of Education is offering monthly training opportunities during Practice Year 1 (2021-2022).  The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) is an observational tool that measures the effectiveness of teacher-child interactions. It focuses on interactions because research consistently shows that interactions are essential to children’s...
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Inclusive Practices for Preschool Programs
Preschool refers to the time before a child is old enough to go to kindergarten or elementary school.  In Virginia, preschoolers who are eligible for special education and related services are entitled to placement in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) alongside their peers without disabilities with supplementary aids and services.  Inclusion in early childhood programs is supported through years of research and reinforced by a strong legal foundation and can set a trajectory for...
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