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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 interdepartmental 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 project 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 and local education 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 Connecting the Dots: Early Childhood Transition Training, 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. 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. Contact: Marijo McBride, 612-624-6830, mcbri001@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.
Bridging Education and Mental Health (BEAM) provides teacher training and coaching in creating an environment that supports the healthy social and emotional development of preschool children, specifically focusing on children with and without disabilities who engage in challenging behaviors. A project of the Center for Early Education and Development (CEED), a partner center of ICI at the University of Minnesota. Funded by the Minnesota Department of Education, Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Contact: Christopher Watson, 612-625-2898, watso012@umn.edu.
Early Childhood Policy Studies Program develops individuals' capacity to apply research-informed knowledge of early development to federal and state policy affecting children up to age 8. A program of the Center for Early Education and Development (CEED), a partner center of ICI at the University of Minnesota, and the University's Institute of Child Development with the support of faculty and staff from the Children, Youth and Family Consortium; the Medical School; Law School; School of Public Health; Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs; and College of Education and Human Development. Contact: Scott McConnell, 612-624-6365, smcconne@umn.edu.
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 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, Folwell Center for Urban Initiatives, Minnesota Early Learning Foundation, 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.
Positive Approaches to Challenging Behavior for Young Children with Disabilities provides Web-based resources for parents, regular and special education classrooms, Head Start programs, child care centers, and other community-based programs, focusing on challenging behavior and proactive ways to assess both form and function and develop positive behavioral support plans. A project of the Center for Early Education and Development (CEED), a partner center of ICI at the University of Minnesota. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the Minnesota Department of Education. Contact: Joe Reichle, 612-625-6542, reich001@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.
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