Hawai‘i P-20 and the Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) have collaborated on a report that focuses on how early identification and early intervention for children with disabilities affect education and later life outcomes. By connecting data from DOH’s Early Intervention Section (EIS), which provides services to support the development of infants and toddlers, and data from the Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE), it can help create a clearer understanding of the long-term impacts on learning for children with disabilities. Here are some key highlights from this report:
- About 3.6% of Hawai‘i’s birth to two-year old population received early intervention services in 2019.
- Of the children who exited early intervention services in FY2019-20, 29% qualified for HIDOE special education Pre-K.
- In SY2019-20, 8% (1,126 students) of HIDOE’s first-time kindergarten students received special education services.
- 73% of students who enrolled in Kindergarten special education services in SY2019-20 also received Pre-K special education services.
- Of the 13,588 students in SY2019-20 who did not receive special education services in kindergarten, 4.4% (601 students) previously received early intervention services.
Read the report: The First Eight Years – The Importance of Early Identification and Early Intervention for Children With Disabilities.