KSDE Early Childhood Special Education

Understanding Indicator 6: Preschool Environments

Indicator 6: Preschool least restrictive environment (LRE) is an SPP/APR indicator focused on the percent of children aged 3 through 5 (not enrolled in kindergarten) with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) who receive special education and related services in settings with children who are typically developing. There are three components to this indicator: 

6a. Children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs who attend a regular early childhood program and receive the majority of their special education and  related services in the regular early childhood program.

6b. Children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs attend a separate special education class, separate school, or residential facility

6c. Children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs who receive their special education and related services in the home. 

Policy and Position Statements

• Indicator 6: Preschool Environments Fact Sheet - This one-page fact sheet outlines the data sources and calculation for Indicator 6 in Kansas.
• Federal Requirements on Inclusion - While the term inclusion is not mentioned in IDEA, the law does have regulations that advocate for serving children with disabilities in regular education settings. This page from the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) provides information regarding the federal requirements in IDEA focused on inclusion. 
• Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs (November 28, 2023)  - This policy statement, released jointly by the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, re-affirms that all young children with disabilities should have access to high-quality inclusive early childhood programs that provide individualized and appropriate support so they can fully participate alongside their peers without disabilities and achieve their full potential.
• 2017 Dear Colleague Letter on inclusive high-quality early childhood programs - NAEYC/DEC Joint Position Statement on Preschool Inclusion- This position statement from the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Division of Early Childhood outlines a definition of early childhood inclusion and recommendations for improving services in early childhood settings. 
• Dear Colleague Letter on IDEA Services in Head Start (Oct. 5, 2022) - These documents state that state and local educational agencies and Head Start programs have responsibilities for implementing IDEA to ensure that children with disabilities enrolled in Head Start programs receive a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.
• Kansas Special Education Process Handbook Chapter 6 Least Restrictive Environment - Provides the Kansas requirements and process for determining LRE. 

Inclusion Research and Resources

• Preschool Inclusion: Key Findings from Research and Implications for Policy -This brief highlights research on preschool inclusion, including the effects of inclusive preschool on children’s early learning and development, quality indicators of inclusive programs and how to improve the quality of inclusive preschools.  
• Preschool inclusion: What's the Evidence, What Gets in the Way, and What do High-Quality Programs Look Like? - This PowerPoint and transcript from a webinar on preschool inclusion provides an overview of the research supporting early childhood inclusion and examines myths and common features of inclusive models.
• Fact Sheet of Research on Preschool Inclusion  - Summarizes research associated with preschool inclusion. 
• Fact Sheet on the Preschool Inclusion Challenges and Solutions: A National Survey - Documents the findings of a national survey on the challenges and solutions of preschool inclusion. 
• IDEA Data Center Preschool Environments Toolkit - This webpage includes materials and resources that provide information and support to local education agencies (LEA's) to collect, report, analyze, and use preschool environments data. 
• Making Sound Preschool LRE Decisions - From the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) this webpage provides recommendations for important actions in the IEP development process that inform placement decisions for young children with disabilities. 
• Preschool LRE Reference Points and Discussion Prompts - This document provides a summary of the least restrictive environment (LRE) provisions of IDEA as applicable to preschool aged children with disabilities. 
• Making Sound Preschool LRE Decisions - This webpage from the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center lists important actions in the IEP development process along with guiding principles and practices that should inform placement decisions for young children with disabilities.
• Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Kansas Early Childhood Programs - This infographic was designed by the Kansas State Department of Education embracing five inclusive
  principles based on the federal joint policy statement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/U.S. Department of Education. Landscape Version
• Indicator 6 Data Guide for Preschool Environments - This Data Guide provides a comprehensive overview of IDEA preschool environments. It offers guidance on locating and analyzing indicator 6 district data along with resources for using that data for program improvement.

KSDE Presentations on Indicator 6   

• Indicator 6-Early Childhood Least Restrictive Environment District Discussions Recording (49:58 minutes) This recorded webinar from the 2021 KSDE Summer Leadership Conference highlights how Kansas LEAs have created more inclusive options for preschoolers in their programs.
• K-Time Explained (PDF Slides). This is a presentation from the 2021 KSDE Summer Leadership Conference that reviews the purpose and reporting of K-Time in early childhood.
• Using Preschool Environments Data to Promote Inclusion in Kansas (PPT) Session from the 2022 KSDE SET Summer Leadership Conference.
• Indicator 6 Preschool Environments (Vimeo) (19:42 minutes) / PDF Slides (external link) This recorded webinar from the 2021 KSDE Summer Leadership Conference provides an overview of Indicator 6.  

For questions concerning Indictor 6 contact Amanda Petersen, KSDE Early Childhood Director.

For information regarding training around Indicator 6 or other early childhood special education questions, request assistance through TASN.