Early Childhood Services Projects & Centers
The Early Childhood Program Area addresses the social, emotional, educational, and other developmental needs of young children who have (or are at substantial risk for) developmental disabilities, and their family members. Activities include applied research on ways to improve outcomes for these young children, training for early childhood professionals and paraprofessionals, consultation with programs and agencies on ways to improve services and policies, and development of resource materials for professionals, policymakers, and families of young children. Particular areas of emphasis include enhancing the skills and knowledge of teachers and child care providers, and identifying strategies for improving school readiness and educational progress for students with disabilities and those at-risk.
Affiliated and Partner Centers
Center for Early Education and Development (CEED) improves developmental outcomes for young children nationwide through applied research, training, and outreach (publications, events). An interdisciplinary center of the University's College of Education and Human Development, and partner center of the Institute on Community Integration. Funded by the College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota, and by grants from foundations and agencies such as the Minnesota Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education. Contacts: Amy Susman Stillman, 612-624-3367, asusman@umn.edu; Christopher Watson, 612-625-2898, watso012@umn.edu.
North Central Regional Resource Center (NCRRC) provides technical assistance and dissemination support to State Departments of Education and Lead Agencies in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin as they seek to sustain systems change efforts that improve educational results and accountability for children and youth with disabilities and their families. Activities include providing technical assistance to States in Part B/619 and Part C policy improvement and implementation, supporting States in the development and evaluation of high quality State Performance Plans, as well as providing assistance in Web-based professional development training and reporting and information/research services. An example of how NCRRC supports its States in creating Web-based professional training opportunities is the development of Connecting the Dots: Early Transition Training. Connecting the Dots is an online Part C to B transition training developed by the NCRRC and Iowa Department of Education to help Iowa Service Coordinators, LEA staff, and parents understand aspects of early childhood transition. This training is available to other States across the country as well. Funded by the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. Contact: Maureen Hawes, 612-624-1144, hawes001@umn.edu.
Current Projects
Demonstrating Progress Monitoring for Early Identification, Accountability and Success develops, implements, and evaluates a response to intervention model to measure children's progress toward school-readiness and academic goals in a seamless manner from preschool through elementary years for students in both special and regular education. A collaborative effort with the Minneapolis Public Schools. Funded by the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. Contact: Teri Wallace, 612-626-7220, walla001@umn.edu.
Developmental Disabilities Rotation for Pediatricians coordinates several components of the developmental disabilities rotation required of all pediatric residents in the University of Minnesota Medical School, acquainting them with the design and implementation of community services for persons with disabilities. A collaboration with the University's KDWB/Variety Family Center. Funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Contact: Beth Fondell, 612-624-6830, fond0030@umn.edu; Amy Hewitt, 612-625-1098, hewit005@umn.edu.
Global Resource Center for Inclusive Education assists national education agencies and non-governmental organizations around the world in the systemic improvement of education programs, practices, and policies that impact children, youth, and adults with disabilities and their families in all economic development circumstances. Contact: Christopher Johnstone, 612-626-1936, john4810@umn.edu.
Minnesota Paraprofessional Training Project builds a system to prepare the paraprofessional workforce to better contribute as team members in education through coordinating statewide training and technical assistance for the Minnesota Paraprofessional Consortium of state agency representatives, educators, paraprofessionals, parents, and others. Funded by the Minnesota Department of Education. Contact: Teri Wallace, 612-626-7220, walla001@umn.edu.
The following projects are conducted in collaboration
with the Center for
Early Education and Development (CEED), a partner center of ICI at the University of
Minnesota.
Early Childhood Research Collaborative promotes research and policy analysis on early childhood development by bringing together prominent researchers and faculty members in a variety of disciplines at the University with economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis to develop and synthesize research on cost-effective investments in early childhood. A project of the Center for Early Education and Development (CEED), a partner center of ICI at the University of Minnesota, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Funded in part by University President Robert Bruininks' Interdisciplinary Academic Initiative on Children, Youth, and Families. Contact: Michelle Englund, 612-624-5792, englu008@umn.edu.
Five Hundred Under 5 builds healthier families and stronger communities together through a collaborative, multidimensional effort to identify 500 children under age 5 and their families in two North Minneapolis areas, learn about their lives, and then enhance services and knowledge to help these children enter Kindergarten ready to learn and grow into productive, thriving adults. It seeks to understand and improve the multiple factors that affect school readiness for young children, and reduce barriers to achievement. Partners include the faith community, caregivers, child care centers, schools, parks, libraries, residents and community agencies. A project of the Center for Early Education and Development (CEED), a partner center of ICI at the University of Minnesota in collaboration with, and with support from, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Minnesota Early Learning Foundation, Way to Grow, Minneapolis Public Schools, Hennepin County, and the Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board. Contact: Scott McConnell, 612-624-6365, smcconne@umn.edu.
Get It, Got It, Go!: Tools For Improving Children's Developmental Outcomes provides a Web-based tool for early childhood practitioners and families to use to continuously measure the skills and needs of individual children from birth to age eight. It uses growth and development indicators, and solutions-oriented assessments, allowing families and early childhood and early elementary educators to identify features of classroom and home settings they can change to improve children's developmental outcomes. A project of the Center for Early Education and Development (CEED), a partner center of ICI at the University of Minnesota. Funded by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education. Contact: Scott McConnell, 612-624-6365, smcconne@umn.edu.
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Certificate Program prepares students and professionals to address the mental health needs of children ages birth to five. The interdisciplinary program has two tracks: the Clinical Track geared to the needs of licensed mental health professionals, and the Community Track primarily for frontline professionals (e.g., public health nurses, parent educators, child welfare workers, early interventionists) who work with young children and their families and often encounter complex mental health issues. A program of the College's Center for Early Education and Development (CEED), a partner center of ICI at the University of Minnesota, and the Institute of Child Development, the certificate's academic home. Contact: Karen Anderson, 612-625-6617, ander352@umn.edu.
Project Archive
The projects in the archive have ended, but their Web sites continue to provide access to data, resources, and other information from their work.