Oregon Early Childhood Inclusion Website Update and Impact Report

Oregon Early Childhood State Leadership Team, made up of cross-agency early learning system state leaders and partners, have been working hard to expand awareness and activities ensuring every child in Oregon can access quality early learning environments. Activities aim to support, understand, and reimagine inclusive early education so that children and their caregivers experience a sense of belonging. 

Oregon Early Childhood Inclusion initiative activities have been making an impact throughout the state by engaging with communities and programs in implementation of the Pyramid Model Framework and the Indicators of High Quality Inclusion.

Learn More!

You can learn more about the initiative and its impacts in the newly released Oregon Early Childhood Inclusion Impact Report.

For links to information, resources, and tools visit:https://www.oregon.gov/ode/students-and-family/SpecialEducation/earlyintervention/Pages/oeci.aspx

The National Black Child Development Institute's National Black Child Development Week is this week June 7-14, 2024. 

Every Year the Institute organizes events to raise awareness and visibility around the joyful development of Black children. The aim being to embolden organizations and individuals around the world to take action on their behalf.

This year’s theme is “Igniting Revolution: A Weeklong Opportunity to Advocate and Advance NBCDI’s Eight Essential Outcomes Across the Nation.” The theme reflects the institute’s commitment to fostering significant and lasting change for Black children and families.

The week’s theme day events include:

• Children’s Day (Sunday, June 9)
• The Eight Essential Outcomes (Monday, June 10)
• Embracing Children as Children (Tuesday, June 11)
• Health & Wellbeing (Wednesday, June 12)
• Affirming Environments (Thursday, June 13)
• Celebrate Black Children (Friday, June 14)

For more information and links to activities visit the National Black Child Development Week website. 

Did you know Oregon has an education plan to support African-American/Black student success? 

The plan addresses:

• The disparities experienced by African American and Black students in every indicator of academic success
• The historical partices leading to disproportionate outcomes for the students
• The educational needs of the students from early childhood through post-secondary education by examining culturally responsive and appropriate best practices in this state and across the nation

The Department will be awarding grants to early learning service providers, school districts, post-secondary institutions, and community-based organizations to implement strategies developed in the plan. You can find more information on the African-American/Black Student Success Plan website.

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Talking with young children about similarities and differences

Children are keen observers. From a very young age they notice characteristics in people, objects, and in their environment. The innate curiosity of young children often leads to conversation and questions with adult caregivers. Embracing this curiosity is important for meaning making and a strong identity development. 

The following resources illuminate different ways adults can support children to make sense of what they observe. Access the resource in English and Spanish. 

Bonus:

Children love to read and learn. These experiences offer a window and a reflection of their own experiences. During this week and weeks to come enjoy sharing books celebrating Black joy. 

Building Identity Affirming, Accessible Spaces

We can all make learning and working spaces more accessible. Early childhood is a critical time for identity development. We know that children in this age group (0-8) learn best through experiences and play with other children.

To learn more about inclusive social interactions and see examples of promoting positive identity and a sense of belonging for children with disabilities view this 60 minute Circle Time Magazine video. This resource is available in English and Spanish. 

Office of Head Start Releases and Inclusion Lab App

Inclusion Lab is a mobile application for disability services coordinators, education managers, and coaches. It's designed to help you support education staff to provide highly individualized instruction for young children with disabilities or suspected delays. Through the Inclusion Lab app, you can:

• Use strategies and supports across four distinct instructional tiers, ensuring the best fit for instructional needs.
• Use "Teach, Assess, Adjust" process to select, implement, and evaluate practices in the classroom.
• Access resources and share key documents like data collection forms, practice checklists and practice guides.

To find out more visit the Inclusion Lab App website.

Disability Is Diversity

Embracing diversity means accepting disability as part of the human condition, a key identity feature that enriches our work spaces, learning spaces, and communities. The following Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative blog post from Megan McQueen at Oregon State University and the article by Courtney Wai from the Spring 2023 issue of Learning for Justice highlight stories from Disability Justice Advocates, elevate practices that remove barriers in schools or programs, and recommend action steps for families and professionals. 

Bonus:

Oregon Department of Education recognizes the impact of ableism and other systems of oppression on students experiencing disabilities. School Leaders can learn more about Ableism in Schools, its impacts, and how to unlearn ableism in this resource as they work to cultivate equity and belonging in every school.