Early Intervention Program

Early Intervention Program


Introduction

 

In 1986, the Individuals with Disabilities Education act was amended to include Early Intervention Services for Infants and Toddlers with disabilities and their families, otherwise known as Part C of IDEA.    

Eligible infants and toddlers include children, birth to three years old, who are born with an established condition that has a high probability of resulting in a disability or those children who have a developmental delay.  Early Intervention Services are provided to the child and family at no cost and are designed to meet the child and families’ unique needs. 

In 1988, the Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands designated the Public School System as the lead agency responsible for the implementation and general supervision of Early Intervention Services.   The Public School System (PSS), in collaboration with the Department of Public Health, provides intervention services, including, Special Instruction, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Social Work, Audiology, Vision, Transportation, Psychological Services, Family Counseling, and Service Coordination to eligible infants and toddlers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).


Early Intervention Logo

 

Goal Statement

 

It is the Public School System’s goal to ensure all infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families are identified and provided early intervention services, in their natural environment based on the family’s needs.  

It is the Public School System’s mission to promote collaborative relationships among agencies and families in order to maximize our children’s potential and builds respect for cultural values and family choices.

 

Grant Application and Public Participation

 

The US Office of Special Education Program makes grants available to support the provision of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities.


FFY 2024 Link to Newspaper notice:

FFY 2023
FFY 2022 FFY 2021 FFY 2020

 

Annual State Determination

 

The US Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is required to review state data and annual performance reports and make a determination if the state or jurisdiction Early Intervention Program meets the Part C requirements of IDEA.  The determination was based on the review of the Public School Systems Annual Performance Report, with valid and reliable data that reflected the measurement for each indicator, demonstrated compliance or timely correction of noncompliance, and in instances where it did not demonstrate compliance, had made progress in ensuring compliance over prior performance in that area.  

IDEA details four categories for the Secretary's Determination.  A state's determination may be:

  • Meets the requirements and purposes of IDEA;
  • Needs assistance in implementing the requirements of IDEA;
  • Needs intervention in implementing the requirements of IDEA; or
  • Needs substantial intervention in implementing the requirements of IDEA.
 

 

State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report

 

In 2006, the Public School System Early Intervention Program was required to submit a State Performance Plan (SPP) that included measurable and rigorous performance targets and compliance targets on 11 Monitoring Indicators. The SPP was developed with input from stakeholders including the CNMI Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) members, Early Intervention (EI) providers, parents, Head Start Community partners, and Public Health’s Early Childhood Comprehensive System, Big Steps for Little Feet, partners and technical assistance provided by the University of Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (Guam CEDDERS).   Thereafter, the Early Intervention Program was required to submit an annual performance report describing its performance based on the performance targets, slippage and improvement activity implementation.

 

State Systemic Improvement Plan

 

In school year 2013-2014, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP has developed a Results Driven Accountability (RDA) system to better align its activities and use of resources to more effectively support States’ capacity to drive systems change that leads to improved results at the local level. The State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) framework as a major focus of States and OSEP’s efforts in improving results for infants and toddlers with disabilities. 
 

 

618 Data Reports
 

Section 618 of IDEA requires that states must collect and report data that measure results for children and families served under the Part C program. In SY 2014-2015, states were required to submit data through EdFacts. EdFacts is a U.S. Department of Education initiative to put performance data at the center of policy, management, and budget decisions for all K-12 educational programs. CNMI was required to submit its child count, program settings, exit, and dispute resolution data via the EDFacts Metadata and Process System (EMAPS). EMAPS is a web-based tool used to provide State Education Agencies with an easy method of reporting and maintaining information on state policies, plans, and metadata in order to aid in the analysis of data collected.


School Year 2021 - 2022

School Year 2020 - 2021

School Year 2019 - 2020

School Year 2018 - 2019

School Year 2017 - 2018 

 

CNMI Part C State Complaint