Interview with a Preschool Special Education Coordinator in New Hampshire
Transcribed using VoiceBase and human verification (audio available)
CP: I'm here with Beth Setear Preschool Coordinator for the Portsmouth School district, and she's going to talk to us about the referral process for preschool a special education...
And much more.
BS: So the process begins when anybody has a concern about the development of a young child. Ages between the ages of three and five. Doctors can make referrals parents can make referrals child care centers can make referrals. We encourage childcare centers to have parents make the referral. So we can talk to them on the phone and gather some information. Usually we gather information about the child's history. And if they're in a preschool or childcare center we also ask [the center] to fill out a checklist. And that helps us understand what the concerns are.
CP: What is the difference between referring a child to preschool public education and early supports and services.
BS: The difference is that for children to be eligible for preschool special education services through a school department, children actually have to have an educational disability that has been identified through evaluation. So there needs to be a significant enough delay to make them eligible. Where in early supports and services children can have a condition that makes them eligible for [Early Supports and Services] but wouldn't make them eligible for preschool special ed. An example is somebody with a heart problem can get yes ESS but will not get preschool special education if it's not impacting their educational performance.
CP: What are some suggestions you can make for new preschool special educators in public schools.
BS: When I'm looking for a preschool special educator. I am looking for someone has who has a pretty thorough knowledge of early childhood curriculum, if they're going to be teaching or working with a regular educator, so someone who's got some familiarity with preschool curriculum. I want someone who also has a good knowledge of positive behavioral supports for children because there are children with behavior issues in preschool special ed. And I'm also looking for someone who's a good collaborator because we work as a team and so we need to be supportive of each other. Nobody can have their way all the time, so they have to be able to work with people and compromise sometimes.
CP: How do you see early childhood special educators as leaders in the field?
BS: I think that early childhood special educators have a good understanding of child development and also disability, so a good knowledge of the different disability categories but more importantly how those disabilities impact classroom performance so in working with regular educators they can be a source of information. And they can also use that knowledge to help teachers strategize interventions, plan activities, scheduled the day in a way that works for young children.
CP: Anything else about early childhood special education...anything else you would like to say?
BS: I certainly am a proponent of inclusive education for young children disabilities. So all of our children are in community settings where the classrooms are actually taught by regular early childhood educators, which is a little bit of a different focus. It's not as special ed. as early childhood special ed programs because we're really focusing on that early childhood curriculum and accessing the curriculum, not necessarily specific skill development so looking more conceptual development as opposed to come the child like their name before kindergarten. So I think that's where I kind of fall and, the people who work with me fall under that too. I mean you do have to be philosophically on the same page. I think.
CP: How does assistive technology fit into an inclusive philosophy?
BS: We certainly use assistive technology in communication devices for our children, so we've got children with [Augmentative and Alternative Communication] devices. We have iPads in the classroom that teachers may use to record to a student's language. They may show a YouTube video that kids are interested in that has something to do with the curriculum. It may be used as a reinforcement for a child after they've done some work. So those are some of the ways we use it.
CP: Okay Great! Thank you.
Resources:
BS: So the process begins when anybody has a concern about the development of a young child. Ages between the ages of three and five. Doctors can make referrals parents can make referrals child care centers can make referrals. We encourage childcare centers to have parents make the referral. So we can talk to them on the phone and gather some information. Usually we gather information about the child's history. And if they're in a preschool or childcare center we also ask [the center] to fill out a checklist. And that helps us understand what the concerns are.
CP: What is the difference between referring a child to preschool public education and early supports and services.
BS: The difference is that for children to be eligible for preschool special education services through a school department, children actually have to have an educational disability that has been identified through evaluation. So there needs to be a significant enough delay to make them eligible. Where in early supports and services children can have a condition that makes them eligible for [Early Supports and Services] but wouldn't make them eligible for preschool special ed. An example is somebody with a heart problem can get yes ESS but will not get preschool special education if it's not impacting their educational performance.
CP: What are some suggestions you can make for new preschool special educators in public schools.
BS: When I'm looking for a preschool special educator. I am looking for someone has who has a pretty thorough knowledge of early childhood curriculum, if they're going to be teaching or working with a regular educator, so someone who's got some familiarity with preschool curriculum. I want someone who also has a good knowledge of positive behavioral supports for children because there are children with behavior issues in preschool special ed. And I'm also looking for someone who's a good collaborator because we work as a team and so we need to be supportive of each other. Nobody can have their way all the time, so they have to be able to work with people and compromise sometimes.
CP: How do you see early childhood special educators as leaders in the field?
BS: I think that early childhood special educators have a good understanding of child development and also disability, so a good knowledge of the different disability categories but more importantly how those disabilities impact classroom performance so in working with regular educators they can be a source of information. And they can also use that knowledge to help teachers strategize interventions, plan activities, scheduled the day in a way that works for young children.
CP: Anything else about early childhood special education...anything else you would like to say?
BS: I certainly am a proponent of inclusive education for young children disabilities. So all of our children are in community settings where the classrooms are actually taught by regular early childhood educators, which is a little bit of a different focus. It's not as special ed. as early childhood special ed programs because we're really focusing on that early childhood curriculum and accessing the curriculum, not necessarily specific skill development so looking more conceptual development as opposed to come the child like their name before kindergarten. So I think that's where I kind of fall and, the people who work with me fall under that too. I mean you do have to be philosophically on the same page. I think.
CP: How does assistive technology fit into an inclusive philosophy?
BS: We certainly use assistive technology in communication devices for our children, so we've got children with [Augmentative and Alternative Communication] devices. We have iPads in the classroom that teachers may use to record to a student's language. They may show a YouTube video that kids are interested in that has something to do with the curriculum. It may be used as a reinforcement for a child after they've done some work. So those are some of the ways we use it.
CP: Okay Great! Thank you.
Resources:
- NH Department of Education - Special Education - Preschool
- NH Department of Education - Special Education
- NH Parent Information Center (PIC)
- NH Preschool Technical Assistance Network (PTAN)
- Special Education Services for Preschoolers with Disabilities from the Center for Parent Information and Resources
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) - Part B - Preschool Special Education Services - Section 619 from the Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA) website
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