At the White House Summit on Early Education, Secretaries Burwell and Duncan announced the release of a policy statement on expulsion and suspension practices (PDF) in early learning settings. Exclusionary discipline practices occur at high rates in early learning settings, and at even higher rates for young boys of color. The effort, part of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative, encourages states, early childhood programs, and families to partner in preventing, reducing, and eventually eliminating the expulsion and suspension of young children from early learning programs. Learn more about reducing suspension and expulsion practices in early childhood settings.
Resources for States
States play a key role in eliminating expulsion and suspension, by establishing developmentally appropriate policies, investing in the early childhood workforce, and relaying critical information to parents and programs. States can access the resources below to assist in preventing and eliminating expulsion and suspension practices. View additional resources on Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) and Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS). For a more extensive resource list, see Appendix 5 in the Policy Statement.
- Supporting Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (PDF): This document outlines Federal funding streams that can support early childhood mental health consultation.
- Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning : Information on State strategic plans for improving social-emotional outcomes for young children and identifying the gaps in services and resources.
- Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention (TACSEI) State Work and Resources : The goal of the State/TACSEI Partnership is to plan, implement and sustain a professional development system to enhance the knowledge and skills of the early childhood work force in meeting the social emotional needs of young children.
- U.S. Department of Education School Climate and Discipline : Policy and legal guidance related to promoting positive early learning and school climates.
Resources for Early Childhood Programs, Schools and Staff
The following resources offer support for superintendents, program directors, principals, teachers, providers, and other staff to prevent and eliminate expulsions and suspensions in early childhood settings. View additional resources on Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) and Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS). For a more extensive resource list, see Appendix 4 in the Policy Statement.
- Social-Emotional and Behavioral Development
- Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning : CSEFEL supports the dissemination of evidence-based practices focused on the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth through 5.
- Technical Assistance Center for Social Emotional Intervention : This Center offers evidence-based best practices to enhance the social-emotional competence of young children with, or at risk for, delays or disabilities.
- Universal Developmental and Behavioral Screenings
- Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive!: This coordinated Federal effort offers resources for a variety of audiences, including early learning teachers, on developmental and behavioral screening.
- Forming Strong Relationships with Parents and Families
- National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement : Resources and guides for early childhood programs.
- Family and Provider/Teacher Relationship Quality Measures: User’s Manual: This User’s Manual provides guidance on using the Family and Provider/Teacher Relationship Quality Measure, which helps programs assess their relationships with families.
- Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Practice
- National Center for Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness : The Head Start Center for Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness offers free resources on implementing culturally and linguistically responsive practices.
- National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems : This site provides technical assistance and resources for increasing access, participation, and equity in schools.
- Nondiscriminatory Discipline
- U.S. Department of Education School Climate and Discipline : Policy and legal guidance related to promoting positive early learning and school climates.
Resources for Parents, Families and Caregivers
Preventing expulsion and suspension will require a strong partnership with families. Programs should treat families as the foremost experts on their children and as such, exchange information relevant to the child’s culture, social-emotional and behavioral strengths and concerns, approaches to learning, and strategies for learning and positive behavior that work at home. Below is a sample of resources to share with families to facilitate this partnership and information sharing. For a more extensive list, see Appendix 3 in the Policy Statement.
- Everyday Parenting: Tips and resources on fostering children’s development and learning.
- Family Resources from the Center on the Social Emotional Foundations for Early Learning : Resources for families on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5.
- Parenting Essentials : Helps families and caregivers handle common parenting challenges.
- Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive: Resources for families on children’s developmental and behavioral progress, monitoring, and screening.
- Child Care Aware : Child Care Aware® helps families learn more about the elements of quality child care and how to locate programs in their communities.
Resources for Community Partners
Preventing expulsion and suspension will require a community-wide effort, with shared responsibility for supporting the success of all children. Below are a sample of resources that community partners can access to help reduce expulsion and suspension in their communities.
- Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive! Community Guide (PDF): This guide supports communities in implementing a collaborative, community-led universal screening effort.
- American Academy of Pediatrics: Mental Health Promotional Ads
- American Academy of Pediatrics: Tip Sheet to Promote Social Emotional Health (PDF)
Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) is a multi-level preventive intervention that teams mental health professionals with people who work with young children and their families to improve their social-emotional and behavioral health and development. The sample of resources below provide information and resources to implement ECMHC. For a more extensive list, see Appendix 1 in the Policy Statement.
- Supporting Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (PDF): This document outlines Federal funding streams that can support early childhood mental health consultation.
- Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation : The Center translates research to practical guidance on effective ways to promote young children's social and emotional development, and reduce challenging behaviors.
- Issue Brief: Integrating Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation with the Pyramid Model (PDF): This policy brief provides an overview of ECMHC, how it can support the implementation of the Pyramid Model and the policy issues that arise when administrators seek to integrate these two approaches at the state and local levels.
- What Works? A Study of Effective Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Programs (PDF): This study reviews several State and community examples of effective early childhood mental health consultation systems.
- Resource Compendium: What Works? A Study of Effective Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Programs : This compendium offers several resources to help states and communities in planning and implementing ECMHC programs.
Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS)
Program-wide PBIS is a systems approach to establishing the social culture and behavioral supports needed for all children in a school or early childhood program to achieve both social and academic success. The resources below provide information and resources to implement PBIS:
- Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning : Resources for promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5.
- Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports : This site offers resources to build the capacity of States, districts, and schools to implement PBIS.
- Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Interventions : This Center offers evidence-based best practices to enhance the social-emotional competence of young children with, or at risk for, delays or disabilities.
- The Pyramid Model Consortium: This site promotes the high fidelity use of the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children.