Division for Early Childhood 2024 Conference: Full Schedule

11:00am CDT

We Are More than Just Rubrics! How Do I Get My CAEP Report to Reflect It?!

Wednesday September 18, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT

The DEC EI/ECSE Personnel Preparation standards are exciting! But writing a great CAEP/CEC or state program review report can be challenging. Knowing how to document the exciting and innovative work happening in your program can be a struggle for even the most established programs. You have questions??? We want to help!

Speakers

Kristen Votava

Associate Professor, University of North Dakota

Megan Purcell

Purdue University

Jennifer Buchter

professor, Eatern Illinois University

Erica Lee

Asst. Research Professor, University of Alabama

Dr. Erica Lee is an assistant research professor of Special Education at The University of Alabama. She holds degrees in Collaborative Special Education (B.S.), Early Childhood Special Education (MAEd), Autism Spectrum Disorders (Ed.S.), and Early Childhood Education (Ph.D.). She... Read More →

Tanya Pinkerton

Clinical Assistant Professor, Arizona State University

Wednesday September 18, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT
GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Professional Development

1:30pm CDT

Out-of-The-Box Transition Planning

Wednesday September 18, 2024 1:30pm - 2:30pm CDT

GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

The KSSC highlights the transition experience for children and families, but transition options for those families are often scarce. Service Coordinators and families can use creative thinking to find solutions that match the family’s goals, vision, and culture. Transition should be collaborative, individualized, and lifespan-oriented.

Speakers

Charissa Darland

Educational Resources Specialist, Indiana University Bloomington

Janet Ballard

Research Associate, Indiana University Bloomington

Janet has worked in the field of early childhood since 1993. She has been a developmental therapist in Indiana’s Early Intervention program (First Steps), a Bureau of Child Development Services State Program Consultant, developed and oversaw the day-to-day operations of an Early... Read More →

Wednesday September 18, 2024 1:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Family

Age 0-3
Audience 1 Practitioners
Audience 2 Families
Content Level Introductory

2:45pm CDT

Foundations for Inclusion: Bringing Child Guidance Policies to Life (OSEP)

Wednesday September 18, 2024 2:45pm - 3:45pm CDT

GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

OSEP has been clear in guidance to reduce and eliminate exclusionary discipline practices. NCPMI has created a resource to help leadership teams assess their existing child guidance policies as they move toward this practice. Presenters will share how ECE programs, higher education faculty, leadership, advocates and families can use guidance.

Speakers

Lise Fox

professor, USF

Camille Catlett

Consultant, Camille Catlett

Camille Catlett is a scientist at the University of North Carolina's Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. She has helped over 30 states to organize collaborative professional development efforts that support the full participation of each young child and his or her family... Read More →

Laurie Dinnebeil

Project Director, University of Toledo

Tracie Dickson

EDUCATION PROGRAM SPECIALIST, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION/OSERS/OSEP

DEC Session Child Policy Guidance OSEP Slides pdf

developing a child guidance policy pdf

Wednesday September 18, 2024 2:45pm - 3:45pm CDT
GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Administrators
Audience 2 Faculty
Content Level Intermediate

4:00pm CDT

Creating a Paradigm Shift in Alberta’s Inclusive Child Care

Wednesday September 18, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm CDT

GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Alberta's new Inclusive Child Care program provides equitable services to build educator’s capacity and confidence to include all children. Evidence based coaching supports the implementation of The Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children. GRIT will share their role and reflections in guiding this paradigm shift in Alberta.

Speakers

Janice Comrie

Inclusive Child Care Manager, GRIT Edmonton

Julia Moore

ASaP Manager, The Grit program

DEC Creating a Paradigm Shift WORKBOOK pdf

Wednesday September 18, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Policy

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Administrators
Audience 2 Researchers
Content Level Intermediate

9:15am CDT

2024 Revised DEC Position Statement: The Role of Special Instruction in EI

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

We introduce the revised 2024 DEC Position Statement: The Role of Special Instruction in Early Intervention (EI) and discuss how it can be used in states and programs. We review a) how special instruction is defined, b) recommendations for professional preparation and qualifications of EI educators, (c) the role of EI educators, and (4) the uniqueness of the service.

Speakers

Serena Wheeler

Assistant Professor and Associate Director, Coaching in Early Intervention Training and Mentorship Program, University of Louisville

I train and mentor EI Providers in a statewide PD program and support ongoing program quality and improvements efforts. My primary areas of interest are evidence-based practices related to effective PD for early intervention providers and caregiver coaching to build family capaci... Read More →

James Young

Project Administrator, Johns Hopkins University

Dana Childress

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, ODU

Dana Childress, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Special Education at Old Dominion University. She has worked in the field of early intervention (EI) for more than 27 years as an educator, service coordinator, supervisor, training facilitator, author, and consultant... Read More →

The 2024 Revised DEC Position Statement pdf

Thursday September 19, 2024 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Practice

10:30am CDT

Ableism in Early Childhood: Policy Implications for Our Field

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

The Joint Inclusion Policy Statement shows that we have not been able to move the needle on inclusion in early childhood. Is ableism at work here? Let's explore this together! We will consider alternatives to the notion of disability and how a new way of thinking can impact our programs, policies, and practices. Together we can confront ableism in ECE and find solutions.

Speakers

Jani Kozlowski

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Every Child Can Fly: An Early Childhood Educator's Guide to Inclusion: https://www.gryphonhouse.com/books/details/every-child-can-fly-an-early-childhood-educators-guide-to-inclusion

Jennifer Fung

Inclusion Lead, National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning

Dr. Jennifer Fung is an educator, trainer, consultant, and researcher who has dedicated her career to ensuring that all young children, especially those with disabilities, have a strong start to their educational journeys. Jennifer is a senior content specialist at Cultivate Learning... Read More →

Allyson Dean

DEC ableism session slides 9 12 24 pdf

Thursday September 19, 2024 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Policy

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Administrators
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Intermediate

1:00pm CDT

Annual aRPy Ambassador Summit (invite only)

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:00pm - 3:15pm CDT

GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

During this invitation-only session, aRPy Ambassadors will share with one another the ways in which they are promoting and using the DEC RPs. The session will serve as an in-person work time, where questions, ideas and challenges are discussed and documented. This in-person time with the Ambassadors will help guide the planning and delivery of future Ambassador activities.

Speakers

Stephanie Moss

Chief Operating Officer, Parent to Parent of Georgia

Allison Jones

TA Specialist, ECTA

The ECTA Center supports state IDEA Part C and Part B, Section 619 programs in developing more equitable, effective, and sustainable state and local systems, that support access and full participation for each and every young child with a disability, and their family.

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:00pm - 3:15pm CDT
GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Practice

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Advanced

3:30pm CDT

Lessons Learned from Two EI/ECSE Personnel Preparation Programs

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT

GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

We will share examples from two practicum models: undergraduate early intervention and graduate early intervention/early childhood special education. We will share examples of state-level strategic partnerships and discuss how to create interdisciplinary practicum experience with the goal of impacting child and family outcomes.

Speakers

Serra Acar

Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Dr. Acar is an associate professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her research includes culturally and linguistically responsive assessment practices in early intervention/early childhood special education.

Catherine Brayden-Calias

Moira Downes

Manager of Field Experiences, University of Massachusetts Boston

Lynne Mendes

Leadership Program Manager, University of Massachusetts Boston

Thursday September 19, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT
GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Practice

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Faculty
Audience 2 Researchers
Content Level Intermediate

9:00am CDT

Implementing Recommended Practices in Low-Resource Settings of Colombia

Friday September 20, 2024 9:00am - 10:00am CDT

GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Capacity building of practitioners in resource-poor environments has been suggested as a potential way to mitigate low levels of access to resources
We will present the process of implementation of Recommended practices in 15 entities of Colombia and how coaching to the practitoners and families they improve the outcomes in childrens and families

Speakers

Margarita Canadas

Catholic University of Valencia

Eliana Saldarriaga

Nidia Johana Arias Becerra

Carlos Qunitero

Friday September 20, 2024 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Professional Development

Age 0-5
Audience 1 administrators
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Intermediate

10:15am CDT

A Leadership Framework to Begin/Restart and Sustain Inclusive Education

Friday September 20, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

“Where do I start?” “How do I start over?” “What is my role?” Program leaders and administrators seeking to develop early childhood programs frequently hear these questions as they navigate the transition to inclusive programming. We will discuss this work in context of Hitt and Tucker’s (2016) unified framework for education leaders.

Speakers

Mary Sheppard

Associate Professor, Saint Joseph's University

Kaitlin Moran

Assistant Professor, Saint Joseph's University

Andrea Golloher

Associate Professor, San Jose State University

Andrea Golloher teaches courses in the Education Specialist and Masterâ€™s programs. Her research explores methods of supporting inclusive education, including the impact of teacher preparation and professional development on attitudes toward and beliefs about disability and... Read More →

Friday September 20, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Policy

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Administrators
Audience 2 Faculty
Content Level Intermediate

12:00pm CDT

Parental Empowerment: The Role of Interagency Coordinating Councils (ICC)

Friday September 20, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT

GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Have you heard of your state or local early intervention coordinating council (ICC)? Despite the ICC's important role and required parental involvement, many parents and practitioners have never heard of the ICC. This interactive session invites parents, practitioners, and administrators to learn about and actively discuss ICC issues, including equity and diversity.

Speakers

Hollie Hix-Small

Associate Professor, Portland State University

Dr. Hollie Hix-Small is an associate professor in the College of Education at Portland State University where she directs the Early Childhood Intervention Program. Prior to joining PSU she led Open Society Foundation's early childhood intervention work in Central and Eastern Europe... Read More →

Denise Tafen

Friday September 20, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT
GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Family

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Introductory

1:15pm CDT

Got Trust? Building Collaborative Relationships in Teams

Friday September 20, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT

GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

How do two strangers with differing philosophies effectively work together to promote positive child outcomes? The foundation of effective teams is trusting relationships. This session will introduce teaming and collaboration strategies to determine communication styles, navigate biases and differing philosophies, and determine shared roles and responsibilities.

Speakers

Nora Bryant

Early Childhood Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU

Nora Bryant joined the Training and Technical Assistance Center (T/TAC) at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2022 as an Early Childhood Program Specialist where she provides technical assistance and professional development to school divisions across the state. She received her... Read More →

Mary Tobin

ECSE Program Specialist, Virginia Commonwealth University

Mary Tobin has worked in Early Childhood Education (ECE) for over 20 years. She began her career as an Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) teacher before moving to the Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2007. Mary serves a dual role... Read More →

Adrienne Quarles-Smith

Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU

Adrienne Quarles-Smith, Ed.D. is a Program Specialist with the Virginia Department of Education’s Training & Technical Assistance Center at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has over 25 years of experience in the field of early childhood special education in a variety of capacities... Read More →

Sandy Wilberger

Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU

Got Trust Resources pdf

Got Trust Slide Deck pdf

Got Trust Handout Note Taker pdf

Friday September 20, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Professional Development

Age 3-5
Audience 1 Practitioners
Content Level Introductory