Created in 2007 by the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), The Pennsylvania Key implements the work and supports the policies developed and managed by OCDEL. Learn More. >
Created in 2007 by the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), The Pennsylvania Key implements the work and supports the policies developed and managed by OCDEL. Learn More. >According to the US Policy Statement on Inclusion (PDF), attitudes and beliefs are the most commonly reported barrier to child inclusion and may be influenced by misinformation, resistance to changing practices, stereotyping children with disabilities and general lack of awareness of the benefits for all our children.
Research by the Foundation for Child Development, indicates that 3- and 4-year old children are being expelled from preschool at a rate higher than school children in grades K through 12.
These announcements apply to Pennsylvania early childhood programs and initiatives, including Child Care Works; Child Care Certification; Early Head Start; Head Start; Early Intervention; Home Visiting Programs; and Keystone STARS.
As a recipient of federal funds, OCDEL is acting on the recommendations to develop and disseminate a program policy statement to early childhood programs that are recipients of these federal funds through OCDEL.
This OCDEL announcement also applies to programs receiving state funding, including Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program, Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, and Family Centers (which receives both federal and state funding).
