Equity and Inclusion for Children with Disabilities

Equitable inclusion for young children with disabilities and developmental delays in early childhood opportunities is supported by both a human rights framework and evidence-based research. Being meaningfully included as a member of society is a human right that all children deserve and should be able to access. Additionally, there is clear research on the benefits of inclusion for both young children with disabilities and their typically developing peers in early childhood programs and services. Despite this, it is well documented that nationally, young children with disabilities and delays and their families continue to face challenges with accessing inclusive early childhood services individualized to their needs in all settings, particularly young children of color.

To address this, the Alliance for IDEA Policy Initiative and other national partners developed these federal policy recommendations to advance equity and inclusion for young children with disabilities and developmental delays across the early childhood system.

Special thanks to: Thank you to the families, providers, and organizations who gave their time to host and participate in a feedback session to inform the federal policy recommendations as well as completed the survey; our fellow national partners who provided their critical input and time to this effort: Child Care Aware® of America, Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI) and POWER-PAC IL, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc., Division for Early Childhood, Education Commission of the States, Education Trust, First Five Years Fund, Infant and Toddler Coordinators Association, National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association of Family Child Care, National Association of State Directors of Special Education, National Head Start Association, and Zero to Three; the Alliance for IDEA Policy Initiative national and state partners