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The Baltimore County school board unanimously approved a $2.5 million contract Tuesday night for special-education services for children from birth to age 5.
The five-year contract, to be funded with federal stimulus money, will provide behavioral consultation, and assessment and support services for children with developmental delays or disabilities.
"The first five years of life, we're providing the foundation for learning for the rest of that child's career in school," said Paula Boykin, the district's birth-to-5 supervisor, who also directs the Infants and Toddlers Program. "It's so important that we're putting public funds into these types of intervention services. We have a real opportunity to get things right early on."
The approved county contract fits with a state plan to provide services - such as educational instruction, family counseling and speech or physical therapy - from ages birth to 5, extending the current model of infants and toddlers programs beyond age 3, according to local and state school officials. Maryland has received a $14.4 million federal special-education grant, which will make this coming change possible, said Carol Ann Heath, assistant state superintendent for special education and early intervention services.
"Maryland has always wanted to have a birth-to-5 system," Heath said. "We thought this was a perfect opportunity to try and have a seamless system."
Starting in February, families receiving services will have two options when a child turns 3 and remains eligible: continue with an "Individualized Family Service Plan" and a local early-intervention program, or move to a child-focused "Individualized Education Plan," Heath said.
The first option calls for working in the home, a library or in child care, Boykin said. The other would have most children going to a school for services. In Baltimore County, those are offered through the district's "preschool 3" sessions, Boykin said.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for the state of Maryland and local jurisdictions because it provides parents a choice," Boykin said, adding that county school officials believe at least half of their eligible families would probably want to stick with the infants and toddlers model.
That model "allows for the family to be still a very important part" of the process, Heath said. And unlike the IEP track, it runs throughout the year, she added.
"I think this is wonderful," said Dr. Linda Grossman, the Baltimore County health department's bureau director for clinical services, adding that the family-centered option caters to those who may need more advice or guidance to further help their children. The department works together with the school system and department of social services, and supplies staff for the intervention programs, Grossman said.
The five-year contract, to be funded with federal stimulus money, will provide behavioral consultation, and assessment and support services for children with developmental delays or disabilities.
"The first five years of life, we're providing the foundation for learning for the rest of that child's career in school," said Paula Boykin, the district's birth-to-5 supervisor, who also directs the Infants and Toddlers Program. "It's so important that we're putting public funds into these types of intervention services. We have a real opportunity to get things right early on."
The approved county contract fits with a state plan to provide services - such as educational instruction, family counseling and speech or physical therapy - from ages birth to 5, extending the current model of infants and toddlers programs beyond age 3, according to local and state school officials. Maryland has received a $14.4 million federal special-education grant, which will make this coming change possible, said Carol Ann Heath, assistant state superintendent for special education and early intervention services.
"Maryland has always wanted to have a birth-to-5 system," Heath said. "We thought this was a perfect opportunity to try and have a seamless system."
Starting in February, families receiving services will have two options when a child turns 3 and remains eligible: continue with an "Individualized Family Service Plan" and a local early-intervention program, or move to a child-focused "Individualized Education Plan," Heath said.
The first option calls for working in the home, a library or in child care, Boykin said. The other would have most children going to a school for services. In Baltimore County, those are offered through the district's "preschool 3" sessions, Boykin said.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for the state of Maryland and local jurisdictions because it provides parents a choice," Boykin said, adding that county school officials believe at least half of their eligible families would probably want to stick with the infants and toddlers model.
That model "allows for the family to be still a very important part" of the process, Heath said. And unlike the IEP track, it runs throughout the year, she added.
"I think this is wonderful," said Dr. Linda Grossman, the Baltimore County health department's bureau director for clinical services, adding that the family-centered option caters to those who may need more advice or guidance to further help their children. The department works together with the school system and department of social services, and supplies staff for the intervention programs, Grossman said.
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