Within the historical, socio-cultural, economic and political contexts in the U.S., there are many different types of early childhood programs available for infants and young children and their families.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), has established state systems of early childhood intervention (ECI) available to infants and young children with disabilities and their families, age birth through 5. The purpose of IDEA is to ensure that eligible students age birth through 21 have access to a free and appropriately ambitious public education. We have grounded our work within this civil rights law. Our work focuses on the preparation of the workforce who deliver ECI services under IDEA to eligible infants and young children with disabilities.

Our theory of change for the technical assistance we provide is centered on building and expanding programs of study for the preparation of the ECI workforce who will be available for state systems of EI/ECSE.

If we successfully accomplish this, we will see an increase in qualified, competent, and interdisciplinary ECI faculty, administrators and practitioners, who can implement evidence based, appropriate and individualized ECI for all IDEA eligible infants and young children and families within the service delivery components of: Screening, Assessment, IFSP/IEP, Interventions, Progress Monitoring, and Transitions, resulting in improved child and family outcomes.