Advancing early education practices that welcome, include, and bring about successful school readiness for all children is embedded in the work of the Institute’s early intervention focus. Our work links research and practice in advancing the field of early education by providing leadership and assistance to agencies, organizations, and communities serving all young children (birth through five years), including children with disabilities, and their families.
Early Intervention
EEMG Pre-School Pilot Program Evaluation
The Early Education Matching Grant (EEMG) is one of Indiana's initial efforts to provide publicly funded quality preschool. The purpose of the EEMG is two-fold: to provide high-quality early learning programs for 4-year-olds of families with incomes lower than 100% of the federal poverty level; and to evaluate the success of these initial efforts to inform future investments. The Early Childhood Center has been chosen by the Indiana Family Social Services Administration (FSSA) to administer the evaluation of the EEMG program during the 2014-2017 school years.
View the CLASS Overview for EEMG Programs.
CLASS OverviewFamily Engagement
Family engagement is not a new concept. Once called parent involvement and then parent engagement, the early childhood field now uses the term family engagement to emphasize the reciprocal, collaborative nature of the family-school relationship and to acknowledge the potential importance of family members other than just parents. The Early Childhood Center is uniquely prepared to contribute to the effort of Family Engagement. Center staff have worked successfully with various state systems, and have an understanding of the unique strengths and challenges Indiana faces. The Center is focusing on creating a strategic plan that works within the existing structure of Indiana’s early education system.
- Early Learning Advisory Committee (ELAC)
- Chronic Absenteeism in Preschool
- Evaluation of Early Learning Indiana's AmeriCorps Family Engagement Program
Indiana's First Steps System
The Early Childhood Center provides evaluation work with Indiana's early intervention system, First Steps, to monitor compliance with state and federal regulations, quality of services, and impact on children and families.
Quality Review and Improvement
Interagency Coordinating Council
Indiana's Roadmap to Services: When You Are Concerned Your Young Child May Have an Autism Spectrum Disorder
Indiana is one of several states benefiting from a Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant focusing on earlier diagnosis and treatment for children with an autism spectrum disorder. The Indiana Resource Center for Autism and Riley Child Development Center at Indiana University and other key stakeholders across the state have partnered with the Indiana State Department of Health, through the Act Early Grant project, to develop materials that are focused on reducing the average age of diagnosis of children with autism as well as gaining earlier access to intervention services in Indiana.
Read our Roadmap to Services Brochure - en Espanol