Family Engagement
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Description: Factsheet for Virginia’s Parents Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) in Early Childhood Programs - Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), refers to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirement that “children with disabilities not be placed in special classes or separate schools unless the nature and severity of their disability is such that education in regular classes with supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.”...
Description: Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) - A Resource Document - The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that students with disabilities are provided a free appropriate public education, referred to as FAPE. FAPE is also required under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In Virginia, FAPE is an important legal right for students with disabilities, ages 2 through 21, receiving services under these two laws. This document defines FAPE, explains what FAPE requires...
Description: Children develop at their own pace; however, most children reach developmental milestones at or about the same age. When a parent or professional has concerns about a child's development, there are often questions as to what the next steps should be. These two flyers, created by the Virginia Department of Education, are meant to direct those questions to the corresponding answer source. One flyer is directed towards Flyer for VA Families - How to get Help When Concerned about Child...
Description: Parental Consent in Special Education: A Fact Sheet for Virginia Families - As a parent or guardian of a child with a disability, it's important to understand your rights and responsibilities regarding parental consent in the special education process. Virginia has very strong consent provisions in its Regulations Governing Special Education Programs for Children with Disabilities in Virginia. For complete information, see regulatory section 8VAC20-81-170. This Fact Sheet includes; What is...
Description: In response to feedback and collaboration with the field, as well as to legislation passed by the Virginia General Assembly, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has released the Video Guide to the Special Education Evaluation Process for Families as additional guidance to support accurate and consistent eligibility determinations and access to special education services across school divisions. These video modules will provide parents, families, and other stakeholders with a brief but...
Description: Engaging families of children with disabilities is essential to supporting children’s learning and development. It is rooted in foundational Head Start resources, including the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework and Relationship-based Competencies to Support Family Engagement. Learning about the hopes and goals of families of children with disabilities is important. It is equally crucial to communicate to families in culturally and linguistically responsive and...
Description: All young children (Birth to 5) with and without disabilities have the right to experience settings, relationships, and interactions that will support and futher their development and learning. This infographic from VCPD helps families to understand the importance and value of inclusion in early childhood.
Description: VCU-ACE has resources for families about raising and supporting young children with ASD. They also have resources for educators and providers as they learn more about ASD and how to use evidence-based practices. For Parents: Raising a child diagnosed with ASD can be confusing and overwhelming. Many times, parents and family members struggle to understand the diagnosis, how to support their child's success, and how to problem-solve through challenges. Information from our seminars, webcasts, and...
Description: This module—a revision of Collaborating with Families, which was originally developed in cooperation with the PACER Center—addresses the importance of engaging the families of students with disabilities in their child’s education. It highlights some of the key factors that affect these families and outlines some practical ways to build relationships and create opportunities for involvement (est. completion time: 1 hour).
Description: "Helping Your Kid With..." Videos - The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk (MCPER) is dedicated to generating, disseminating, and supporting the implementation of empirically validated, evidence-based practices to significantly affect student outcomes and support educators, researchers, policymakers, families, and other stakeholders who strive to improve academic, behavioral, and social outcomes for all learners. Educational experts at MCPER have created videos to help...
Description: The ECTA Center partnered with the DaSy Center, Ann and Rud Turnbull, and invited guests to facilitate an interactive four-part web broadcast series aimed at supporting early intervention (EI) and early childhood special education (ECSE) systems leaders with building capacity in personnel and families to develop trusting partnerships. These partnerships in a child’s early years lay the foundation for achieving the long-term intended outcomes for children/students with developmental delays...
Description: From the Head Start ECLKC site: The Relationship-based Competencies (RBCs) are based on research and recommended practice across many fields working with families from pregnancy through the early childhood years. These fields include: Early care and education Early intervention Infant mental health Child welfare Maternal and child health Pediatrics Social work Psychology Topics include: Relationship-Based Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals Who Work With Children in Group Care...
Description: This online module from the ECTA Center addresses strategies to engage parents in activities to build their competence and confidence in providing learning opportunities for their child. The module is divided into 4 lessons ranging from 10-15 min. each, and includes short video demonstrations, checks a learner's understanding through a variety of interactive formats, and; includes a family capacity-building checklist for self-assessment or planning home visits.
Description: Families are the enduring presence in the lives of young children with disabilities. This volume contains activities to support early care and education staff and families in developing positive relationships that support collaboration and family leadership. Session 1: Creating Bright Futures (Building Relationships with Families) Session 2: Listening to Families Session 3: When Concerns Arise: Learning from Families' Experiences Session 4: Getting...
Description: CONNECT Modules are FREE practice-focused instructional resources for faculty and other professional development providers. CONNECT modules are designed using a 5-Step Learning Cycle, an approach for making evidence-based decisions about practice dilemmas, based on the integration of multiple sources of evidence. Topics (available in English and Spanish) include: Embedded Interventions Transition Communication to Collaboration Family-Professional Partnerships Assistive Technology...