Comment: Pre-K Enhancement and Expansion Program Rulemaking
Senior Policy Attorney Renee Murphy, on behalf of Children’s Law Center, submitted comments on proposed regulations regarding the Office of the State Superintendent of Education’s (OSSE) Pre-K Enhancement and Expansion Program. The program expands high quality prekindergarten options for young children in the District. Her comments focus on strengthening OSSE’s regulatory guidance surrounding the inclusion of children with disabilities in its programs.
Here is an excerpt from her letter:
Inclusion refers not just to the physical presence of children with disabilities amongst their typically-developing peers, but also to holding high expectations, intentionally promoting full participation using individualized accommodations, and fostering development and belonging with services and supports. Inclusion benefits children with disabilities and children without disabilities, in terms of development and engagement. Despite what we know about the benefits, high quality inclusion often remains a challenge. Unfortunately, all too often our young clients with disabilities have difficulty maintaining child care or prekindergarten because of misunderstandings and misinformation about what providers should do and because of lack of coordination with early intervention services and supports.
Click the link below to read her full comments.