Quality Early Childhood Education the Need for Special Education Services: A Symposium

As the early childhood education field extends into providing more integrated school-based services, the time is right to examine the interconnections and opportunities evident in the provision of quality early childhood education services. As researchers, we were interested in examining whether the provision of quality early childhood education services mediates the need for special education services for children with identified exceptionalities. This symposium will address 8 papers related to this purpose: 1) the role of research in informing public policy; 2) early childhood education and special education; 3) parents perspectives on co-constructed pedagogical documentation in early learning settings; 4) the impact of full-day kindergarten on learning outcomes and self-regulation among kindergarten children at risk for placement in special education; 5) the impact of quality learning programs on the demand for student support services; 6) the benefits of including children with identified exceptionalities in quality early learning programs; 7) the importance of early intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder; and 8) the impact of quality early learning on students’ mental health. This symposium will provide opportunity for interactive discussion surrounding the literature review and findings.