Early Childhood
The Early Childhood Priority Project supports professionals providing special education and general education services to children, birth through kindergarten age, in a variety of settings. A specific goal of this project is to increase inclusive opportunities for children with developmental disabilities by promoting evidence-based educational strategies and collective partnerships.
In support of this goal, the project has several initiatives which include:
- Increasing Integrated Placement Options for Preschoolers (IPOP), a project to expand current IPOP sites throughout the region and state and to assist early childhood teams dedicated to inclusive practices.
- Conducting online surveys of educators to gain information on the current state of inclusive practices in Virginia.
- Promoting the new standards for early childhood in literacy, mathematics, social studies, science, physical and motor development, and personal and social development through Virginia Foundation Blocks for Early Learning.
- Coordinating opportunities for administrators to discuss current issues on a monthly basis to maintain a continuity of services throughout the region.
- Providing training and ongoing support with state data collection requirements and issues related to effective teaching strategies, such as
Promoting Social- Emotional Competence of Young Children.
- Supporting Early Intervention by collaborating with the Infant Toddler Connection and other agencies in our region.
