Overview

Including children with disabilities in supportive early childhood settings doesn't just benefit the child - it also betters their peers, families and communities. Here, you'll find state and national resources that help make sure your child has the highest-quality early childhood education.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Programs and Services

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the United States. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention (services for children under 3 years old), special education (services for children 3-21 years old) and related services.

Part C: Early Intervention (children birth until age 3) – Babies Can’t Wait

Babies Can’t Wait is Georgia’s statewide inter-agency service for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities, and their families. Babies Can’t Wait was established by Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which guarantees all eligible children, regardless of their disability, access to services that will enhance their development.

Click Here if you suspect that your infant or toddler may be in need of a developmental evaluation. You can also contact your local Children’s 1st Coordinator or Babies Can’t Wait Coordinator to discuss your concerns and next steps.

To contact your local Babies Can’t Wait Coordinator, use the Program Coordinator List and search for your local health district

Part B, Section 619: Preschool Special Education (children 3-5 years old) – Georgia Department of Education

The Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B, Section 619 is intended to help states ensure that all preschool‐aged children (3 through 5 years old) with disabilities receive special education and related services. The Georgia Department of Education is the state education agency responsible for general supervision and monitoring of this provision. In Georgia, preschool-aged children with disabilities receive their special education and related services through local school districts.

For additional information regarding initial evaluations and eligibility for services, you can view the Parent to Parent Roadmap for Success, or contact the Preschool Special Education Coordinator in your school district.

Find an Inclusion Specialist

To make sure children with disabilities have access to high quality inclusive early learning opportunities, DECAL has a team of regionally-based Inclusion Specialists. Inclusion Specialists provide training and coaching to child care providers, early learning professionals, and communities to ensure that early educators have the skills and resources they need to support success for all the children in their programs. Inclusion Specialists also work to create more local child care options for children with disabilities.

To locate your regional Inclusion Specialist, click here.