Early Intervention
Early Intervention is the process in which children receive services through an Early Intervention agency from the ages of three to five and have a delay of at least twenty-five percent. It is the District’s responsibility to determine if children who are age-eligible for Kindergarten in the Fall of any given year will need academic assistance. It is important to note that the services received through an Early Intervention agency are based on developmental needs, while services provided by the School District are determined by academic needs. The questions that need to be answered are “Will a child need assistance to access the curriculum?” and if so “What type of assistance?”
2023 Early Intervention (EI) Transition Information CLICK HERE
Next Steps for Kindergarten
| Timeline | Action |
|---|---|
| JANUARY 2023 / FEBRUARY 2023 | Attend an Early Intervention Transition Meeting with the School District and Elwyn Early Learning Services (see the schedule above). |
| JANUARY 17, 2023 - MAY 31, 2023 | Please register for Kindergarten at Your Neighborhood School. Be sure to tell the School Secretary that your child receives Early Intervention (EI) Services. Remember to Bring: -Proof of Identity -Proof of Residence -Proof of your Child's Age -Proof of Immunization |
| Ongoing as part of the Transition Process | Be sure to sign and return any documentation provided by your Special Education Compliance Manager to your neighborhood school. |
| ** As necessary | Update your neighborhood school with any changes in address or contact information. |
Frequently Used Terms in School Aged Programs
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) – is an IDEA requirement indicating that children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, must be educated with children who are not disabled, to the maximum extent appropriate. Removal of children with disabilities from the general education environment occurs only when the nature and/or severity of their disabilities are such that education in general classes, with the use of supplementary aids and services, cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
Local Education Agency (LEA) – is a school district, charter school, or other educational entity responsible for providing a free, appropriate public education in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Education statutes, regulations, and policies with or without support from other agencies.
Supplementary Aids and Services – are aids, services, and other supports provided in general education classes or other education-related settings to enable children with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate.
Types of Special Education Support – Learning Support, Life Skills Support, Emotional Support, Deaf and Hearing Impaired Support, Blind and Visually Impaired Support, Speech and Language Support, Physical Support, Autistic Support, Multiple Disabilities Support
Amount of Special Education Support – The following words and terms have the meanings listed unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
• Full-time. Special education supports and services provided by special education personnel for 80 percent or more of the school day.
• Supplemental. Special education supports and services provided by special education personnel for more than 20 percent but less than 80 percent of the school day.
• Itinerant. Special education supports and services provided by special education personnel for 20 percent or less of the school day.
It is very important for parents to be involved in the transition to school-age process from the beginning. By asking questions and being involved, you are able to continue to support the growth and development of your child. The transition of your child to school-age programs is an opportunity to celebrate. Your child has developed many new skills and accomplished many outcomes in preparation for the future!
Dates for kindergarten and school registration / enrollment will be provided to you. It is important that you register your child for school. Attending the transition meeting does not mean that your child is officially registered.
The Difference Between School-Aged Services
and Early Intervention Services
School Age Services
In order for a student to be eligible for special education services, the student must meet two requirements. First, the student must be identified as having one of the thirteen disabilities listed in the IDEA: autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, or visual impairment.
Second, the student must also require specially-designed instruction as determined by an evaluation team. Specially-designed instruction refers to the special methods, equipment, materials, and adaptations that are needed for students to be successful in school and to achieve their IEP goals. This may involve accommodations and/or modifications to the general education curriculum.
Accommodations are teaching supports and services that the student may require to successfully demonstrate learning. Accommodations change the “how” of learning, but do not change expectations to the curriculum grade levels. Accommodations may involve special seating, frequent breaks, or extended time on tests.
Modifications are changes made to the curriculum expectations in order to meet the needs of the student. Modifications are made when the expectations are beyond the student’s level of ability. Modifications may include modified homework assignments, alternate forms of assessment such as portfolios, and changes to the curriculum. Modifications change the “what” of learning.
Early Intervention Services
Early Intervention consists of services and supports designed to help families with children who have developmental delays. While all children grow and change at their own rate, some children can experience delays in their development.
Early Intervention services can include: information on how children develop; parent/caregiver education, support services, and developmental therapies that assist in child development. Early Intervention provides ideas for how the family can help their child at home and in the community and is individualized to enhance the child’s growing and learning.
Services and supports are embedded in the learning opportunities that exist in the child’s typical routines and within the home and community and/or other early education programs such as child care centers, nursery schools, prekindergarten programs or Head Start.