Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) DD 3-6 Criteria Checklist A. Definition of Early Childhood Special Education Early childhood special education must be available to pupils from birth to seven years of age who have a substantial delay or disorder in development or have an identifiable sensory, physical, mental, or social/emotional condition or impairment known to hinder normal development and need special education. Minn. R. 3525.1350, subp. 1. B. Criteria for Children from Birth through Two Years of Age The team shall determine that a child from birth through the age of two years and 11 months is eligible for early childhood special education if: A. the child meets the criteria of one of the disability categories; or B. the child meets one of the criteria for developmental delay in subitem (1) and the criteria in subitems (2) and (3): (1) the child: (a) has a medically diagnosed syndrome or condition that is known to hinder normal development for example, cerebral palsy, chromosome abnormalities, fetal alcohol syndrome, maternal drug use, neural tube defects, neural muscular disorders, cytomegalovirus, grades III and IV intracranial hemorrhage, and bronchiopulmonary dysplasia (BPD); (b) has a delay in overall development demonstrated by a composite score of 1.5 standard deviations or more below the mean on an [evaluation] using at least one technically adequate, norm-referenced instrument that has been individually administered by an appropriately trained professional; or (c) is less than 18 months of age and has a delay in motor development demonstrated by a composite score of 2.0 standard deviations or more below the mean on an [evaluation] using technically adequate, norm-referenced instruments. These instruments must be individually administered by an appropriately trained professional; (2) the child’s need for instruction and services is supported by at least one documented, systematic observation in the child’s daily routine setting by an appropriate professional. If observation in the daily routine setting is not possible, the alternative setting must be justified; (3) corroboration of the developmental evaluation or medical diagnosis with a developmental history and at least one other [evaluation] procedure that is conducted on a different day than the medical or norm-referenced [evaluation]. Other procedures may include parent report, language sample, criterion-referenced instruments, or developmental checklists. Minn. R. 3525.1350, subp. 2. C. Criteria for Children from Three through Six Years The team shall determine that a child from the age of three years through the a age of six years and 11 months is eligible for early childhood special education when: A. the child meets the criteria of one of the categorical disabilities; or B. the child meets one of the criteria for developmental delay in subitem (1) and the criteria in subitems (2) and (3). Local school districts have the option of implementing these criteria for developmental delay. If a district chooses to implement these criteria, it may not modify them. (1) the child: (a) has a medically diagnosed syndrome or condition that is known to hinder normal development including cerebral palsy, chromosome abnormalities, fetal alcohol syndrome, maternal drug use, neural tube defects, neural muscular disorders, cytomegalovirus, grades III and IV intracranial hemorrhage, and bronchiopulmonary dysplasia (BPD); or (b) has a delay in each of two or more areas of development that is verified by an [evaluation] using technically adequate, norm-referenced instruments. Subtests of instruments are not acceptable. The instruments must be individually administered by appropriately trained professionals and the scores must be at least 1.5 standard deviations below the mean in each area; (2) the child’s need for special education is supported by at least one documented, systematic observation in the child’s daily routine setting by an appropriate professional. If observation in the daily routine setting is not possible, the alternative setting must be justified. (3) corroboration of the developmental evaluation or medical diagnosis with a developmental history and at least one other evaluation. procedure in each area that is conducted on a different day than the medical or norm-referenced evaluation. Other procedures which may be used here include parent report, language sample, criterionreferenced instruments, or developmental checklists. Minn. R. 3525.1350, subp. 3.