This week we talk about Early Intervention (EI), as it is a program that nearly all of our students accessed, yet we did not learn about it in our teacher training programs. In this episode, we looked through our lens of veteran teachers to identify and explain the beneficial basics of EI for all educators. We give a little background about how EI started, then talk about what IDEA mandates and how children and families qualify for services. We discuss some differing state qualifications and implementation of the program. We review how an Individual Family Support Plan (IFSP) is different from an IEP and how services can be implemented across settings.  Stay tuned for our next episode when we’ll interview an EI provider to get the inside scoop!

Links:

• Wrightslaw and EI
• Understood’s article on EI
• Outline of minimum components of EI
• Individual state qualifications
• CDC’s Developmental Milestones Checklists
• Differences between an IEP and IFSP
• Digital note-taking template sample