Early Childhood Special Education

What is Early Childhood Special Education?
Early Childhood Special Education, or ECSE, is a program designed to provide specialized instruction and support to young children who have been identified as having special needs or medical conditions known to interfere with learning and development.

Who is ECSE for?
ECSE programs are available to children who have identified special needs that interfere with their ability to learn.

If I'm concerned about a child's development, what should I do?
When parents, caregivers, or other professionals identify a concern about a young child, that child can be referred for a developmental screening. The screening is conducted by a team of professionals that may include a special education teacher, speech/language pathologist, occupational therapist, and/or public health nurse.

Children age 3 to school age can be scheduled for a free screening appointment by calling (218) 338-4079 ext. 402. Children under age 3 can be scheduled for screening by calling (218)338-4079 ext. 440.

What happens if special needs are identified?
If the screening uncovers concerns about the child's development, professionals will work with parents to plan and conduct a more comprehensive evaluation. This evaluation will help the parents and team members learn more about:

  • the child's strengths
  • the child's needs
  • the child's unique learning characteristics
  • whether the child qualifies for ECSE services

If the child meets the criteria identified by the state of Minnesota, he or she is entitled to a specialized plan designed to help meet the identified needs.

The team will work together with the parents to create a plan built around annual goals in the identified areas of need. The plan will also identify what kind of specialized instruction the child will receive, where the services will be delivered, and how much service the child will receive.

Early intervention provides the best chance for children to meet their full potential.

How are special services delivered?
A continuum of services are provided for young children. Some of these options include:

  • Consultation
  • Visits to the child's home
  • Visits to the childcare setting
  • Participation in community based early childhood settings such as Head Start, School Readiness or ECFE
  • Individualized therapy sessions in the school setting

Students who are three or four year old and receiving ECSE services can participate in Parkers Prairie's Early Childhood Collaborative Program with students from Head Start and School Readiness. The number of days each child in the ECSE program attends center-based programming is individualized and depends on the needs of the child.