Identification services are provided for free to children ages 20 months to 5 years old. Note: Child must turn 2 by no later than September 30th. Students are eligible for enrollment in early childhood special education services based on identified developmental delays which require specially designed instruction.

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For identification of special education needs, screening and comprehensive developmental

assessments may be completed with children in areas of development where delays are suspected. The primary areas of development assessed include adaptive, cognitive, communication, physical, and social/emotional. When appropriate, a sociocultural evaluation, audiological evaluation, and vision screening are recommended. Functional vision assessment, occupational therapy, and/or physical therapy evaluations may also be completed.

Assessments may include: the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation, Photo Articulation Test, Arizona Test of Articulation, Rosetti Infant Toddler

Language Scale, Preschool Language Scale 5, Clinical Evaluation Language Proficiency (CELF-P), Receptive Expressive Emergent Language Test 3rd Edition (REEL), Learning Accomplishment Profile - Diagnostic 3 (LAP-D 3), Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology (DEAP), Clinical Assessment of Articulation and Phonology, 2nd Edition (CAAP-2),

Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 4th Ed, Berry Visual Motor Integration (VMI), Merrill-Palmer Revised Scales of Development, Behavior Assessment System for Children, 3 Edition (BASC-3), Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2 Edition (ADOS-2), Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 4th Ed, Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition (WPPSI-I), Primary Test of Non-Verbal Intelligence (PTONI), Childhood Autism Rating Scale- Second Edition (CARS-2 ST), Conners Early Childhood (Conners), Autism Spectrum Rating Scales (ASRS), Social Responsiveness Scale- 2nd Edition (SRS-2), and the Differential Ability Scales (DAS).

During intervention provided to students found eligible for special services, ongoing formal and informal evaluation and assessments may be completed. The students’ disabilities and developmental needs will guide the teacher to the specific assessment tools to use. The teacher’s observation and parent report are critical components of the assessment process. Teachers select and administer tests of which the Assessment Evaluation and Programming System (AEPS), Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA), Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) or the Battelle Developmental Inventory Second Edition are a part. The quality of interactions between teachers and children will be measured as a result of Virginia’s Unified Virginia Quality Birth-5 (VQB5) System using the nationally recognized CLASS® tool. CLASS® stands for Classroom Assessment Scoring System. The CLASS® is a tool for observing and assessing the quality of interactions among teachers and children in classrooms. During the school year 2023-24, all class-based classrooms and PAC classrooms will be measured.

The instructional program for students in early childhood special education is aligned with the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Pre-Kindergarten Program of Studies (Pre-K POS).

Additional resources include:

• DEC Recommended Practices, Susan Sandall, Mary Louise Hemmeter, Barbara J. Smith, and Mary E. McLean
• Virginia's Foundation Blocks for Early Learning, Virginia Department of Education
• Educating Young Children - Second Edition, Mary Hohmann and David P. Weikart
• Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System, Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc.
• The Carolina Curriculum for Preschoolers with Special Needs, Nancy Johnson Martin, Bonnie Hacker, and Susan Attermeier
• Classroom Strategies to Promote Children’s Social and Emotional Development – A DECA Program, Derry Koralek
• Socially Strong, Emotionally Secure, Nefertiti Bruce and Karen Cairone
• Early Learning Second Step, Committee for Children
• Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children, Glen Dunlap, Kelly Wilson, Phillip S. Strain, and Janice K. Lee

The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS®) is an observation instrument that examines the quality of teacher-child interactions. CLASS® includes three domains of teacher-child interactions that support children's learning and development: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support.

Future Focus

The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS®) is an observation instrument that examines the quality of teacher-child interactions. CLASS® includes three domains of teacher-child interactions that support children's learning and development: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support. Within each domain are dimensions with more specific details about teachers' interactions with children. The CLASS® dimensions are based on theory and research noting that interactions between children and adults are the primary way of supporting children's development and learning, and that effective, engaging interactions and environments form the foundation for all learning in early childhood.

During school year 2023-24, all of the early childhood class based and PAC teachers will be observed by trained observers using the CLASS® observation tool.

By July 2024, the early childhood special education teachers will increase by 5% over baseline in the dimension of Teacher Sensitivity. Post observation baseline average in June of 2023 was 5.82 on a 7-point scale (low to high). A 5% increase would equal an average score of 6.1.

1. Conduct individualized professional development with observed teachers through a coaching model for all staff members being observed during school year 2023-24 between the pre and post observations.
2. Facilitate small group learning cohorts with observed teachers through a coaching model for all staff members being observed during school year 2023-24 at least 5 times between the pre and post observations.

During the school year 2022-23, 165 of the early childhood class based and PAC teachers were observed by trained observers using the CLASS® observation tool.

The program goal was as follows:

By July 2023, the early childhood special education teachers will increase by 5% over baseline in the dimension of Instructional Learning Formats. Post observation baseline average in June of 2022 was 5.31 on a 7-point scale (low to high). A 5% increase would equal an average score of 5.58.

1. Conduct individualized professional development with observed teachers through a coaching model for all staff members being observed during school year 2022-23 between the pre and post observations.

Post observation score in July 2023 in the dimension of Instructional Learning Format was 5.82 which equals a 9.6% increase over baseline.  A minimum of 5 individualized professional development sessions was conducted with each observed teacher between pre and post observations.