Increasing Equity in Early Intervention. Our Youngest Learners

Education Trust. 1250 H Street NW Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-293-1217; Fax: 202-293-2605; Web site: https://edtrust.org/

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Federal Legislation; Educational Legislation; Equal Education; Students with Disabilities; Early Intervention; Eligibility; Low Income Groups; Barriers; At Risk Persons; Developmental Delays; Child Development; Ethnicity; Racial Discrimination; Access to Education; Access to Health Care; Screening Tests; Ethnic Diversity; Labor Force; Pediatrics; Evaluation

Early intervention services are funded through a complex blend of federal, state, and local sources, and are part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). States have to make difficult decisions about how to fund critical IDEA services, including early intervention services, because Congress vastly underfunds IDEA. This often results in stricter eligibility requirements and other cost-saving measures that sometimes lead to a decrease in the number of children receiving services. There are several strategies states can use to address systemic racial inequities in the health and education systems in which early intervention services take place. In this report, we identify the strengths of state approaches and opportunities for increasing equity in providing early intervention services. [For the executive summary, "Supporting Our Youngest Learners: What We Know about Equity in Early Intervention," see ED617579. For the companion report, "The Impact of COVID-19 on Early Intervention: Survey of States. Our Youngest Learners," see ED617574.]

As Provided

2022

ED617569