Response to Intervention (RTI) is an approach that is gaining acceptance in kindergarten-Grade 12 in many schools throughout the U.S. RTI has a dual focus--improving the quality of instructional practices for all students, and as providing additional instructional and behavioral supports for some students to ensure that every student succeeds in…

This concept paper identifies issues and provides guidance to states as they develop, revise, and utilize early educator competencies in the context of inclusion. Key issues include ensuring that early educator competencies reflect knowledge, skills and emerging research on effective practices for working in inclusive settings with children with…

Only a handful of states address children with disabilities in their early child care quality rating systems. As a result, few states are evaluating the quality of inclusive programs and services. This problem is compounded by a lack of consensus on dimensions that define high quality inclusion and a need for additional measures of quality…

Almost everyone recognizes the importance of having an effective early childhood workforce in programs that serve young children and families. Less clear is how to ensure that all early childhood practitioners have the essential knowledge and skills they need to be effective. Increasingly, policy makers are turning to professional development as…