Thursday, December 14, 2023
The U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the release of an updated joint-policy statement on supporting the inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood programs. The joint statement sets the expectation that inclusion continues as a child transitions into elementary school, emphasizes the need to increase public awareness and understanding of the science that supports inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood programs, and reinforces the legal foundations that support inclusion.
The HHS-ED Policy Statement on the Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs includes a renewed commitment and urgency, as children with disabilities continue to face barriers accessing and fully participating in inclusive early childhood programs.