Indicator: Children With Special Education Needs Entering School
Schools are meant to provide educational opportunities for all children, to enhance their chances to succeed and learn, regardless of a child's needs for support. For children with special learning-related needs, being ready to enter school and to succeed in school partly depends upon
having had early intervention and perhaps having ongoing supports in place at the time of school entry for the child and family.
- Number of Kids Entering Kindergarten Who Exited Special Education to a Regular Classroom
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Why This is Important
Schools are meant to provide educational opportunities for all children, to enhance their chances to succeed and learn, regardless of a child's needs for support. For children with special learning-related needs, being ready to enter school and to succeed in school partly depends upon having had early intervention and perhaps having ongoing supports in place at the time of school entry for the child and family.
Where We Stand
The Maine Department of Education monitors the number of children who had received early intervention services but who no longer require special education upon their entry into kindergarten. For the 2004-2005 school year, 454 such children exited to regular education, a distinct rise since the 1996-1997 school year, with a slight decline from 2003-2004. These children are entering school more developmentally ready.
Data Source and Context
The source of this data is the IDEA Child Count, information collected each December 1st by the Division of Special Services, Maine Department of Education, http://www.maine.gov/education/speced/EFS05/public_reports.htm.
Why This is Important
Schools are meant to provide educational opportunities for all children, to enhance their chances to succeed and learn, regardless of a child's needs for support. For children with special learning-related needs, being ready to enter school and to succeed in school partly depends upon having had early intervention and perhaps having ongoing supports in place at the time of school entry for the child and family.
Where We Stand
The Maine Department of Education monitors the number of children who had received early intervention services but who no longer require special education upon their entry into kindergarten. For the 2004-2005 school year, 454 such children exited to regular education, a distinct rise since the 1996-1997 school year, with a slight decline from 2003-2004. These children are entering school more developmentally ready.
Data Source and Context
The source of this data is the IDEA Child Count, information collected each December 1st by the Division of Special Services, Maine Department of Education, http://www.maine.gov/education/speced/EFS05/public_reports.htm.
**Question**: Are Access and Availability the same?
Why This is Important
Having a strong background in early childhood education may help elementary teachers in the primary grades plan and adjust their instruction to their learners’ needs. School boards and administrators that support professional development efforts and hiring criteria that encourage more elementary level teachers to have this special level of certification are demonstrating a way to make schools readier for children.
Where We Stand
Teachers who hold Early Childhood Education Certificates have completed coursework and training specific to the developmental needs of young children (ages 0-8). While 298 Maine teachers have this certification in the 2005-2006 school year, this is only 2% of the public and private elementary school classroom teachers in Maine. Furthermore, of those individuals that now hold such a certificate, only 63 are employed in a school setting.
Data Source and Context
The data source is the Division of Certification, Maine Department of Education, 2006.