Professional Development Resources
Featured Resource:
Effective Early Childhood Transitions
A Guide for Transition at Age Three —
Early Start to Preschool
The California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and the California Department of Education (CDE) share responsibility for ensuring that the process for transition from Early Start to local educational agency (LEA) services at age three adheres to regulatory requirements, is a seamless process for children and
their families, and is accomplished in a timely manner. DDS and CDE produced this training and technical assistance guide following an intensive collaborative process.
Effective Early Childhood Transitions: A Guide for Transition at Age Three — Early Start to Preschool (
PDF; 1.7MB; 46pp.) is intended for the Early Start community that includes regional center and LEA service coordinators, service providers, family resource centers (FRCs), and receiving LEA providers. Service providers may include LEA infant programs and specialists, Early Head Start and Head Start programs, vendored infant development programs and individual providers, and community-based public and private preschool programs.
The guide identifies both required elements for transition and recommended practices to support families and their children as they successfully navigate transition from Early Start to other services at age three. The guide is organized by transition activities that occur from initial intake until a child and family leave Early Start services at age three. Additional resources, including references and tools for professionals involved in the transition process, are provided in the Resources section at the end of this document.
Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) addresses early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities, birth to age three, and their families. IDEA Part B addresses special education and related services for children and young adults ages three to twenty-two. Throughout the document, Part C responsibilities and activities are identified as “Early Start.” Part B responsibilities and activities are identified as “LEA.” Activities that are required by federal or state laws and/or regulations are noted with legal citations and reflect updated federal Part C regulations.
(California Department of Developmental Services, Early Start Section and California Department of Education, Special Education Division. Effective Early Childhood Transitions: A Guide for Transition at Age Three — Early Start to Preschool. Sacramento: WestEd Center for Prevention and Early Intervention, 2013.)
Websites
- Desired Results access Project
Supports special educators, administrators, and families in implementing the California Department of Education’s Desired Results Assessment System. - Inclusion Collaborative
Focuses on successful inclusion of children with special needs in child care, preschool programs and the community through education, advocacy and awareness. - CDE-SED: Family Involvement & Partnerships
Resources and support for parents, guardians, and families of children with disabilities. - CDE: Parent /Family & Community
Information for parents and family members about becoming involved in the education of their children. - CDE: Parental Involvement in Title 1 Schools
Describes parental involvement in schools that receive Title I funds. - CDE: Family & Community Tools
Partnerships among educators, families, and community members. - Part C of IDEA: Early Intervention for Babies and Toddlers
Information about Part C of IDEA.-Early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities (birth-3). - Part B of IDEA: Services for School-Aged Children
Information about Part B of IDEA- Children and youth, special education and related services (ages 3-22). - Joint Position Statement on Inclusion
Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). - Strengthening Families Program Self-Assessments
Self-Assessment outlines how the protective factors can be supported through program practice. - Educating Our Children Together: A Sourcebook for Effective Family-School-Community Partnerships
Guidance for schools getting started in family involvement activities with 80 promising practices organized into eight “cluster strategies." -
Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE)
Provides technical assistance to both school districts and parents, and serves as an information clearinghouse on dispute resolution in special education.
PDFs
- Family Engagement Framework: A Tool for California School Districts 3.4 MB PDF file
- Family Empowerment and Disability Council (FEDC) Brief: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Parent Participation 1.2 MB PDF file
- Family-School Partnerships: Information and Approaches for Educators 74k PDF file
- CSEFEL What Works Brief: Fathers and Father-Figures: Their Important Role in Children’s Social and Emotional Development 909k PDF file
