The Center to Inform Personnel Preparation Policy and Practice for Early Intervention and Preschool Education

Transcription

1 The Center to Inform Personnel Preparation Policy and Practice for Early Intervention and Preschool Education Mary Beth Bruder, PhD University of Connecticut Vicki Stayton, PhD Western Kentucky University Funded by Office of Special Education Programs

2 Rationale Federal Initiatives Concern over the competence of professionals is on the forefront of National agenda States education reform agendas The NCLB & the President s Commission on Excellence in Special Education both emphasize the need to focus on student performance & results

3 Rationale State Personnel Issues Shortages of qualified personnel Variability in personnel requirements Licensing standards not specifically tailored to infants, toddlers and their families

4 Rationale Institutes of Higher Education (IHE) Issues Program requirements vary

5 Rationale Supply and Demand Strong relationship between policy, personnel requirements and training programs Lack of specific research on supply and demand of EI/ECSE personnel

6 The Center s Purpose To guide the development of policy and practice for personnel preparation in early intervention & preschool education by examining issues & recommending actions to ensure an adequate supply of well qualified personnel to serve infants, toddlers and preschoolers with disabilities.

7 Phase I Study 1 Study 2 Standards & Certification State Part C & 619 Training Programs Institutes of Higher Education Study 3 Supply & Demand

8 Phase II Research Agenda Higher Education Programs (3 Studies) Personnel Standards (4 Studies) Professional Development (3 Studies)

9 Phase III Information Dissemination Policy Recommendations

10 Survey Study I Methodology Electronic or telephone Structured protocol with closed and open-ended questions Sample Part C Coordinators 619 Coordinators State level representatives (CSPD, Consultants)

11 Method of Participation Part C (n = 45) 619 (n = 48) Electronic 23 (51.1) 28 (58.3) Phone 22 (48.9) 20 (41.7)

12 Part C Personnel Supply Discipline Adequate Shortage Unsure Social Worker Service Coordinator* Pediatrician Nurses* Audiologist Special Educator* *1-2 Do not employ

13 Part C Personnel Supply Discipline Adequate Shortage Unsure Physical Therapist Nutritionist Occupational Therapist Orientation/Mobility Family Therapist Speech/Language Pathologist *1-2 Do not employ

14 Part C Personnel Training Discipline Audiologist Special Educator Occupational Therapist Nutritionist Physical Therapist Nurse States Reporting Adequate Training

15 Part C Personnel Training Discipline Service Coordinator Speech/Language Pathologist Orientation/Mobility Social Worker Psychologist Pediatrician Family Therapist States Reporting Adequate Training

16 Part C Standards and Requirements Add/Create Categories Credential for EI Modifications to Standards Additional Requirements Percent Reporting Yes or In Process

17 Part C Credentialing Procedures Procedure Competencies Course work Preservice Prep. Exams Training/inservice Portfolio Experience Observation Interview Apprenticeship Endorsement Percent Reporting

18 Part C Training Training during employment* Training Directory Training prior to employment CEU in Area Requirement Alternative Certification Career Ladder Percent of States * Training descriptions vary.

19 Part C Ways of Addressing Personnel Preparation State Improvement Plan ICC Personnel Prep Committee Interagency Agreement CSPD Doc. In-service CSPD Doc. Pre-service Percent of States

20 Reported Factors Helping to Obtain Qualified Personnel in EI Specific recruitment efforts Training Characteristics of EI Family oriented philosophy Geography/attractive location Higher education programs Salary/benefits Certification Grants/funding programs Positive perceptions of EI System financial reimbursement Supervision

21 Reported Barriers to Obtaining Qualified Personnel in EI Lack of personnel pool Higher ed. program issues Low salaries Geography, rural locations Lack of knowledge about EI Characteristics of EI tasks Training issues System financial reimbursement difficulties State standards/certification Lack of interagency collaboration

22 619 Personnel Supply Discipline Adequate Shortage Unsure Audiologist* Paraprofessional Psychologist Social Worker Special Educator Physical Therapist *1-3 Do not employ

23 619 Personnel Supply Discipline Adequate Shortage Unsure Occupational Therapist Pediatrician Nurse* Orientation/ Mobility Family Therapist* Speech/Language Pathologist *1-3 Do not employ

24 619 Personnel Training Discipline Speech/Language Pathologist Occupational Therapist Physical Therapist Audiologist Special Educator Social Worker Percent Reporting Adequate Training

25 619 Personnel Training Discipline Orientation Mobility Psychologist Nurses Pediatrician Paraprofessional Family Therapist Percent Reporting Adequate Training

26 619 Standards and Requirements Credential for ECSE Modifications to Standards Add/Create Categories Additional Requirements Percent Reporting Yes or In Process

27 619 Credentialing Procedures Procedure Preservice Preparation Course work Competencies Exams Experience Recommendations Follow-up Mentoring Percent Reporting

28 619 Training Training Directory Training during employment* Alternative Certification Career Ladder CEU in Area Requirement Training prior to employment Percent of States * Training descriptions vary.

29 619 Ways of Addressing Personnel Preparation State Improvement Plan Interagency Agreement CSPD Doc. In-service CSPD Doc. Pre-service Percent of States

30 Reported Factors Helping to Obtain Qualified Personnel in ECSE Training Strong higher ed. programs Certification/credential Salary/benefits Targeted recruitment Interagency initiatives Geography attractive location Characteristics of ECSE Positive perceptions of ECSE Philosophy Grants/funding programs Supervision/mentorship

31 Reported Barriers to Obtaining Qualified Personnel in ECSE Salary/benefits Higher education issues Lack of personnel pool Geography (rural) State standards/certification Lack of knowledge about ECSE Negative perceptions of ECSE Characteristics of ECSE tasks Training issues Competition with other states State issues, lack of support Lack of interagency collaboration

32 Study II Higher Education Create a database of personnel preparation programs Analyze the characteristics of training programs Determine how training programs provide learning opportunities specific to young children and families Develop a profile of current training programs

33 Study II Higher Education Survey Comprehensive review of preservice preparation for all types of personnel who serve infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities Recruitment Operational characteristics Program characteristics Instructional methods Collaborative opportunities Alignment with standards Program evaluation

34 Study II Methodology and Sample Survey Web-based Paper or phone options Program Representatives 5659 Programs Contacted

35 Survey Responses Survey responses: 1131 programs Survey section submitted: Section 1: 1127 Section 2: 859 Section 3: 787 Section 4: 750 All Sections: 746 Sample representation: 50 states & D.C. 18 types of programs

36 Response Rate by Discipline Discipline Requests Response Response Rate Occupational Therapy Recreation Therapy Ed. of Vision Impaired Ed. of Hearing Impaired Special Ed Speech/Audiology Physical Therapy Early Childhood Ed

37 Response Rate by Discipline Discipline Requests Response Response Rate Nursing Other Social Work Nutrition Counseling Psychology Total

38 Response Rate by OSEP Funded Grant Projects Contacted Responded Refused Participation Response Rate OSEP Funded Grant Projects %

39 Description of Sample by Type of Institution of Higher Education (IHE) (n=1131) Type of IHE Frequency. Sample % Response Rate Public Private N/A Total

40 Description of Sample by Program Degree (n=1116) Type of Degree Undergraduate Masters Associate Doctorate Other Frequency Sample %

41 Description of Sample by Age Span Addressed in Programs (n=1107) Life Other Age Range Frequency Percent

42 Program Preparation for Licensure License General License (n=1085) License for 0-5 with special needs (n=1073) % Yes % No

43 Program Preparation for Licensure (n=313) License Age Range for Early Childhood % Yes % No

44 Number of Students Enrolled in Program (n=1050) Range None Frequency Percent

45 Student Composition by Ethnicity (n=1066) White Ethnicity Black/African American Hispanic/Latino Asian/Pacific Islander American Indian/Alaskan Native Mean % Standard Deviation

46 Programs Offering Courses Focusing on Areas (n=693) Area Frequency Percent Mean SD Families Research & Evaluation Team Process Inclusion/Natural Environments Assistive Technology

47 Areas Addressed by OSEP Funded Programs (n=30) Percent of Programs Ass istive Technology Families Inclusion/Natural Environments Research and Evaluation Team Process

48 Instructional Strategies Used in Programs (n=728) Practice Independent Research Lecture Class Simulation Field Experience Assessment Assistive Tech Development Intervention Cultural Sensitivity Due Process Family Centered FAPE

49 Instructional Strategies Used in Programs (n=728) Practice Independent Research Lecture Class Simulation Field Experience IEP IFSP Instructional Plan Learning Environment LRE Natural Environment Professional Ethics Teaming Zero rejection

50 Roles for Which Students are Prepared (n=727) Role Provider Consultant Researcher Evaluator Service Coordinator Parent Support Consultant Administrator Other Paraprofessional Frequency Percent

51 Settings for Which Programs Prepare Students (n=733) Setting School Hospital Clinic Center Preschool Head Start Home Childcare Community Other Frequency Percent

52 Field Experience with Children 0-5 with Special Needs (n=776) Response Yes No Not sure Not applicable % Mandatory % Optional

53 Field Experiences Total number of programs providing additional information about field experiences : 651 Range of field experiences per program: 1-10 Mean of field experiences per program: 3.7 Total number of field experiences reported: 2411

54 Field Experiences (Total of 2411 experiences reported) Field Experience Characteristics Required Optional Frequency Percent

55 Field Experiences (Total of 2411 experiences reported) Field Experience Characteristics Children with and without disabilities Only children with disabilities Only children without disabilities Frequency Percent

56 Field Experiences (Total of 2411 experiences reported) Field Experience Characteristics Adult Frequency Percent

57 Settings for Which Field Experiences Prepare Students (n=743) School Center Hospital Clinic Childcare Preschool Head Start Home Community Other Setting Frequency Percent

58 Settings for Which Field Experiences Prepare Students (n=743) Number of Programs Center Childcare Clinic Community Head Start Home Hospital Preschool School Other Settings

59 Parent Involvement in IHE Program (n=848) Parent Involvement Do not play role Play role Frequency Percent

60 Parent Involvement in IHE Program (n=244) Teach courses Co-teach courses Supervise field experience Co-supervise field experience Teach 1 or 2 course sessions Other Role Frequency Percent

61 Parent Compensation for Time in IHE Program (n=223) Type of Compensation Not Paid, Volunteer Per Diem Other Salary Frequency %

62 Cross-Disciplinary Collaborative Activities (n=723) No Collaboration Across Disciplines within IHE Yes Not Sure Frequency Percent

63 Frequency and Percent of Programs Participating in Cross-disciplinary Activities (n=394) Cross-disciplinary Features Courses are taken with students from different disciplines Courses are offered and listed jointly across program areas within a college or school Students enrolled in the program represent different disciplines Courses are team taught by instructors from different disciplines or different programs Students are placed in practicum setting outside of the program s discipline area Frequency %

64 Frequency and Percent of Programs Participating in Cross-disciplinary Activities (n=394) Students across disciplines complete field experiences together Practicum experiences are supervised by faculty or personnel outside the disciplinary area of the program The program s steering committee is comprised of individuals from multiple discipline Courses are offered and listed jointly across programs across a college or school Other Cross-disciplinary Features Frequency %

65 Number of States With 2 or Less Higher Education Programs by Discipline Program No. of States w/ No Higher Education Program No. of States w/ 1 Higher Education Program No. of States w/ 2 Higher Education Programs Total Orientation/Mobility Recreation Therapy Pediatricians/Other Physicians Nutrition Occupational Therapy Physical Therapy Audiology Speech-Language Pathology Family Therapy Guidance Counselor

66 Number of States With 2 or Less Higher Education Programs by Discipline Program No. of States w/ No Higher Education Program No. of States w/ 1 Higher Education Program No. of States w/ 2 Higher Education Programs Total Social Workers Special Education Psychologists Nursing Paraprofessionals n/a n/a n/a n/a Rehab Counseling n/a n/a n/a n/a Service Coordination n/a n/a n/a n/a

67 Percentage of Graduates who Find Jobs in Their Field (n=706) Audiology (n=2) Speech & Language Pathology (n=35) Early Childhood Education (n=82) Early Childhood Special Education (n=33) Special Education (n=56) Education of the Visually Impaired (n=6) Education of the Hearing Impaired (n=7) Occupational Therapy (n=33) Physical Therapy (n=34) Social Work (n=46) Counseling (n=37) Family Therapy (n=5) Nutrition (n=17) Nursing (n=174) Recreation Therapy (n=15) Psychology (n=67) Early Intervention (n=9) Blended Program (n=27) Other Program (n=21) Average Percentage Survey Program

68 Students Who Find Jobs Working With Children With Special Needs (n=612) Programs Frequency Mean SD Overall Nursing Early Childhood Education Psychology Special Education Counseling Social Work Speech-Language Pathology Physical Therapy Occupational Therapy Early Childhood Special Education

69 Students Who Find Jobs Working With Children With Special Needs (n=612) Programs Frequency Mean SD Blended Program Other Program Recreation Therapy Nutrition Early Intervention Education of the Hearing Impaired Education of the Visually Impaired Family Therapy Audiology

70 Next Steps Research Agenda Higher Education Programs Personnel Standards Professional Development

71 Higher Education Programs This strand will continue the inquiry into the availability and quality of personnel preparation programs in Early Childhood.

72 Higher Education Research Questions Question 1A: What is the availability, content, quality of coursework and practica experiences across disciplines in Early Childhood personnel preparation programs funded by OSEP? Method: Electronic Survey

73 Higher Education Research Questions Question 1B: What is the availability, content, and quality of doctoral training programs in Early Childhood? Method: Electronic Survey

74 Higher Education Research Questions Question 1C: Can a collaborative doctoral training model be developed in Early Childhood Intervention? Method: Focus Group

75 Personnel Standards This strand will continue the inquiry into the credentialing of highly qualified Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education personnel.

76 Personnel Standards Research Questions Question 2A: What are the scope, content, process of and outcomes of B-3 early intervention credentials in states that use them? Method: Phone Interview

77 Personnel Standards Research Questions Question 2B: What is the status of B-3 credentials among national professional organizations? Method: Focus Group

78 Personnel Standards Research Questions Question 2C: What are the variables that contribute to the success of a credential process in B-3? Method: Case Study

79 Personnel Standards Research Questions Question 2D: Does a B-3 personnel credential ensure positive outcomes for providers, families and children? Method: Experimental Group Design (CT)

80 Professional Development This strand will address professional development competencies and training opportunities.

81 Professional Development Research Questions Question 3A: How do early interventionists, early childhood special educators and related services personnel define their own competence, confidence, quality and professional development opportunities? Method: Electronic Survey

82 Professional Development Research Questions Question 3B: Are there models of effective professional development for Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education personnel (state systems or professional organizations) that result in effective child/family outcomes? Method: Case Study

83 Professional Development Research Questions Question 3C: How do physicians define competence and quality in regard to referral decisions for children in need of early intervention? Method: Electronic Survey

84 Contact Information Mary Beth Bruder Vicki Stayton Sara Wakai Center Information Data Reports