Early Childhood Special Education Resources and Guidance

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Child Find

Child Identification Process

Guidelines for Identifying Preschool Children for Special Education (PDF) - Updated July 2022, these guidelines developed by CDE support a comprehensive Child Identification System.

Colorado Part B Child Find Coordinators have access to the CDE Learning Management System.  Colorado Part B Coordinators may access the Child Find Part B Child Find Coordinators Hub which includes self-paced educational modules based on the Child Identification Guidelines as well as the Child Find Coordinator’s Forum, a place for connecting with other coordinators across the state.

Referral

• CDE Memo: Child Identification Obligations for CDEC Enrolled Children (PDF) - May 2025
• A Model Child Find Referral Form: For children ages 3 through 5 years old is available from Assuring Better Child Health and Development (ABCD)
• Technical Assistance: Referral Status Updates (PDF) - May 2022
• CDE ESSU Memo: Colorado Context and Reminders Regarding OSEP Memorandum on Delays and Denials of Evaluations for Preschool Special Education under IDEA (PDF) - September 2016
• OSEP Memo: A Response to Intervention Process Cannot Be Used to Delay-Deny an Evaluation for Preschool Special Education Services (PDF) - April 29, 2016
• Community Resources:
  Referral for Special Education Evaluation in Colorado For 3 through 5-year olds with a Suspected Disability or Delay (PDF) - September 2022
  Recomendación para Evaluación de Educación Especial en Colorado Para Niños de 3 a 5 años con Sospecha de Discapacidad o Retraso - Septiembre 2022

Developmental Screening

• Early Childhood Developmental Screening: A Compendium of Measures for Children Ages Birth to Five
• CDHS Resource: Developmental Screening and Children Involved in Colorado's Child Welfare System - CAPTA and Beyond

Hearing Screening

• Early Childhood Hearing Outreach (ECHO) Initiative
• Guidelines for Childhood and Youth Hearing Screening Programs (PDF)
• Webinar on Colorado Early Childhood Hearing Screening Guidelines - Coming Fall 2024 date TBA

Vision Screening

• American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus - Screening Resource Page
• Head Start - Vision Screening for Young Children

Child Evaluation and Initial Eligibility

• Developmental Delay Technical Assistance (PDF) - February 2022
• Guidelines for the Educational Evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorder (PDF) - February 2018, this guidance supplements the evaluation section of the Guidelines for Identifying Young Children with Special Needs when Autism Spectrum Disorder is suspected
• Colorado K-12 Speech or Language Impairment Guidelines for Assessment and Eligibility: K-12 SLI Guidelines - Updated June 2023 with new rating scales

Extended Part C Option for Colorado

• CDE and CDHS Joint Memo: Adoption of Extended Part C Option for Colorado (PDF) - April 2022
  Colorado has adopted a state policy under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C, which allows early intervention (EI) services, in defined instances, to continue after a child’s third birthday.
  • Extended Part C Option Frequently Asked Questions (PDF) - August 2022
  • CDE Guidance: Procedural Guidance for Extended Part C (PDF) - August 2024
• Information for families on Extended Part C (English): A Look at Your Rights and Options after Your Child Turns Three (PDF) - April 2022
• Information for families on Extended Part C (Spanish): Una Mirada a Sus Derechos y Opciones Después de que Su Hijo(a) Cumpla Tres Años (PDF)
• Infographic for families: Extended Part C in the Transition from Early Intervention
• From CDHS: Colorado Early Intervention Policy for the Extended Part C Option (PDF) - April 2022
  • Consent Form for Extended Part C (English)
  • Consent Form for Extended Part C (Spanish)

Transitions from Early Intervention to Preschool Special Education

• Indicator 12: Part C to B Transition - reporting information from the Exceptional Student Services Unit at CDE
• OSEP Q & A 24-01: 2023 Early Childhood Transition Questions and Answers
• Transition Nuts & Bolts Webinar - March 2023
• CDEC and CDE Memorandum of Understanding: Infants and Toddlers with Developmental Disabilities and Their Families Transitioning from Early Intervention Services to Part B Special Education Services in Accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 (PDF) - June 2022
• Joint CDE and Early Intervention Colorado memo: New and Ongoing Requirements Related to the Transition of Children from Part C to Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (PDF) - June 2022
  • Webinar: Transition from Part C to Part B - October 2022
• Side-by-Side comparison document for Roles of Early Intervention Colorado Part C Entities and Part B Special Education Administrative Units for Transition from Part C to Part B of IDEA (PDF) - September 2022
• Key Differences Between Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education (PDF) - updated 2022

Early Childhood Special Education

Developing Individual Education Programs (IEPs)

• IEP Procedural Guidance CDE Office of Special Education (PDF) - revised July 2017
• Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) in Preschool: A Framework for High Engagement and Learning in Colorado (PDF)
• Guiding Principles about Specially Designed Instruction (PDF)

Making Decisions about Least Restrictive Environments (LRE)

• ESSU Guidance: FAPE for Preschool Special Education Students (PDF) - August 2023
• Indicator 6: Early Childhood Settings - OSEP reporting information from the Exceptional Student Services Unit at CDE
• ESSU Technical Assistance: Making Least Restrictive Environment Placement Decisions for Preschool Children, Ages 3 through 5 (PDF) - updated December 2023
• ESSU Technical Assistance: Educational Environments: December 1st Child Count (PDF) - October 2019
• Dear Colleague Letter from OSEP: Related to Preschool Least Restrictive Environments (PDF) - January 2017

High Quality Inclusive Environments

• Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs (PDF) - December 2023
• CDE Standards for Placement of Preschoolers with IEPs in Educational Programs (PDF) - January 2023
• Adapt to Impact - Promotes universal design, applying simple adaptations and technologies, and building childcare workforce capacity to support equitable access to inclusive and supportive learning environments for young children with disabilities. (Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering)
• Suspensions and Expulsions in Preschool - Updated August 2023
• Indicators of High Quality Inclusion - Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA)
• Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs (PDF) - CDE Indicators of Quality Inclusion in Early Childhood (IQI EC) February 2017
• Recognizing and Performing the DEC Recommended Practices
   

Funding for High Quality Inclusive Programming

• Special Education and Universal Preschool in Colorado
  • FAQ: Special Education and Universal Preschool in Colorado (PDF) - January 2023
  • Memorandum of Understanding (PDF) - Between The Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Department of Early Childhood For Preschool Special Education Services In Accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004, the Exceptional Children's Educational Act (ECEA), and Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program Act - February 2023

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) in Preschool

• Division of Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children Position Statement: Multitiered System of Support Framework in Early Childhood - 2021
• CDE ESSU Memo: Colorado Context and Reminders Regarding OSEP Memorandum on Delays and Denials of Evaluations for Preschool Special Education under IDEA (PDF) - September 2016
• OSEP Memo: A Response to Intervention Process Cannot Be Used to Delay-Deny an Evaluation for Preschool Special Education Services (PDF) - April 29, 2016

Partnering with Families

• CDE Resource Document - Planning for Kindergarten (PDF) - Updated August 2023
• PEAK Parent Center is a nonprofit that works every day to ensure that all people with disabilities are fully included in their neighborhood schools, communities, employment, and all walks of life.

Preschool Outcomes

• Results Matter: CDE's data collection for Preschool Outcomes
• CDE Technical Assistance Document: Results Matter Assessment and Preschool- Aged Children with Significant Support Needs (PDF)
• Indicator 7: Preschool Outcomes - reporting information from the Exceptional Student Services Unit at CDE
• Child Outcomes Step by Step (Video) - this video is an introduction to the Preschool Outcomes used in reporting to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).

Transportation

• Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services: Questions and Answers on Serving Children with Disabilities Eligible for Transportation (November 2009)
• The School Transportation Webpage at CDE has documents on Preschool Transportation for children with disabilities
  • 2023 Colorado Transporting Students with Special Needs Guide
  • ESSA Quick Reference Guide
  • IDEA-FERPA Crosswalk
  • Section 504 Resource Guide
• OSEP Letter to Special Education Directors: Ensuring Safe and Appropriate Transportation for Children with Disabilities (PDF) - August 2003