Day care, public education and exceptional children

Day care and early education teachers are being challenged more than ever before by children who may have exceptional needs. Following enactment of the Handicapped Children's Act of 1975, #opPublic Law 94-142#cp public education programs and services for exceptional children from age 3 on up have become mandatory throughout the United States. Additionally, most of the states have passed similar laws for special children that may be more or less restrictive than the Federal Law. Day care and early education teachers can be helpful to the development of special educational programs and related services for exceptional children. Too often they are overlooked when public school specialists and parents meet to discuss multidisciplinary team findings for purposes of IEP development. Day care and early education teachers can add information to more completely outline the child's needs with follow-up programming recommendations. Important elements of the law are presented to help day care personnel more effectively serve each special child in their program.