Early Childhood Special Education Program Evaluations

ECA works with public school districts to evaluate and strengthen early childhood special education programs, focusing on inclusive, evidence-informed practices and improved outcomes for young children.

Our work includes:

• Examining the full early childhood special education process—from child assessment and eligibility determination through IEP development, placement, and service delivery.
• Evaluating classroom and instructional practices to determine how well they align with children’s IEPs, evidence-based practices, and high-quality inclusion.
• Gathering perspectives from across the system through classroom observations, document reviews, staff surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
• Assessing program structures and service models, including staff roles and responsibilities, itinerant services, referral patterns, and opportunities for children to participate successfully in typical classroom routines.
• Turning findings into actionable improvement plans, using data to identify priorities related to program quality, staff capacity, policies and procedures, and outcomes for children.