Resources, Tools, Notices, and Opportunities for Professional Development and Collaboration for School Administrative Units Participating in Cohort 1, Fiscal Year 2024-25Ìý

Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)Ìý

In April of 2024, the fb88 Legislature approved a bill that allowed School Administrative Units to provide early childhood special education services to preschool aged children with disabilities, and that all School Administrative Units were to offer these services by July 1st, 2028. The fb88 Department of Education's Commissioner oversees this effort and is supporting the Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education (OSSIE) to support the development of systems, policies, practices and procedures to do so.

• Legislation for Provision of Early Childhood Special Education in School Administrative Units (SAUs), P.L. 2023, c. 643, part WÌý
• Child Find and the Special Education Process
• Preschool Environments
• Supporting Growth and Development through Services in Quality Programs

FAPE Information

Cohort Meeting Recordings: Supports to Initiate Early Childhood Special Education ServicesÌý

The fb88 Department of Education, Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education supports School Administrative Units in providing early childhood special education services to ensure Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Included are the agendas, presentations, and recordings from the most recent cohort of SAUs to participate.

• CohortÌýMeeting Recordings (Cohort 1 SY2024-2025, Cohort 2 SY 2025-26)
• Application Process and TimelinesÌý
• Topic Specific Presentations/RecordingsÌý

Cohort Meeting Resources

Technical Assistance for Programs Implementing Early Childhood Special EducationÌý

The following information is designed to support school administrative units engaged in providing special education services to preschool-aged children with disabilities, enabling all schools to meet regulatory requirements and provide free appropriate public education.

• Educator Certification, Licensure, Practitioner Roles and Responsibilities, Recruitment, and RetentionÌý
• Child Find in Early ChildhoodÌý
• Transition from Early Intervention Services
• Preschool Inclusion and Least Restrictive EnvironmentÌý
• Measuring Positive Child Outcomes: The Child Outcomes Summary (COS) ProcessÌý

Personnel Development

Technical Assistance for Fiscal and Data Processes in Early Childhood Special EducationÌý

In addition to technical assistance for programmatic supports, the Office for Special Services and Inclusive Education presents specific fiscal and data technical assistance in the provision of a Free Appropriate Public Education for preschool-aged children.Ìý

• Fiscal Practices and Funding GuidanceÌýÌý
• Data Collection ProceduresÌýÌý
• Data Analysis ResourcesÌý

Data Collection and Funding

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