Category: Government Actions

HHS and USDE Release Policy Statement for Including Young Children with Disabilities with Non-disabled Peers (December 3, 2023)

According to an updated policy statement released by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education (USDE) released on November 28, 2023, 55% of preschoolers with disabilities get special education services in classrooms separate from their peers. It goes on to say that young children with disabilities should be included in high-quality early childhood education programs alongside peers without disabilities so they can receive individualized supports and achieve their full potential. The 68-page statement reiterates the expectations for inclusive early childhood settings for children from birth through age five.

The statement also updated recommendations for state and local agencies charged with implementing or overseeing any early childhood education program, including Head Start, child care, home visiting, preschool and public schools, as well as programs that provide early childhood special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

To learn more from K-12 Dive, click here.

BSE Notice: Annual Deaf-Blind Child Count for Infants, Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Students Annually (November 30, 2023)

On November 30, 2023, PDE BSE Director Carole L. Clancy sent a PennLink memo to all LEAs and other applicable entities titled Annual Deaf-Blind Child Count for Infants, Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Students. The memo states that on an annual basis the U.S. Department of Education (USDE), Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), requires the Pennsylvania Deaf-Blind Project to conduct the National Deaf-Blind Child Count, formerly called the National Deaf-Blind Census. The Deaf-Blind Child Count records the number of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and students who have deaf-blindness or who are at risk of developing deaf-blindness, and who are enrolled in early intervention or special education as of the December 1, 2023 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) child count.

The count will be conducted beginning with Approved Private School programs in January 2024 followed by LEAs in February 2024. You must verify and submit your information no later than March 8, 2024. It is important for Pennsylvania to have an accurate Deaf-Blind Child Count as this information is tied to funding research, training, and technical assistance for this population of children.

Please be aware that for the Deaf-Blind Child Count, the federal definition of deaf-blindness is more inclusive and extensive than the one used for the IDEA child count. Children ages birth through 21 should be reported in the count if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

  1. Infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and students who have a diagnosis of deaf-blindness and/or receive both vision and hearing support services;
  2. Infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and students who have a mild to profound hearing loss and vision loss with correction that still requires adaptations or modifications;
  3. Infants and toddlers (ages birth-to-three; i.e. Part C) who have a diagnosis that places them at-risk for an intellectual disability with inconsistent responses to light and sound. (At-risk means a diagnosis that does not guarantee hearing/vision loss); or
  4. Infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and students with multiple disabilities who may demonstrate inconsistent responses to light and sound.

    It is important for each Early Intervention Program and Local Educational Agency (LEA) to participate in the Deaf-Blind Child Count.
  1. If you do not have any infants, toddlers, preschoolers, or students with deaf-blindness, you will still need to log in and identify that you are not educating anyone with deaf-blindness at the present time.
  2. If you are educating an infant, toddler, preschooler, or student with deaf-blindness, you will need to either enter a new record or verify information about a child who already exists in the system.
  3. School-age and preschool programs are encouraged to work closely with contracted providers (e.g., Approved Private Schools, Charter Schools for the Deaf or Blind) to ensure an accurate count of children.
  4. Connecting families of children who are deaf-blind with supporting networks and information is vital. A feature of the Deaf-Blind Child Count is a letter which you will be asked to send to the family of each child listed in your count. The letter provides information which will link them to support and information for their family.

    Deaf-Blind Child Count – Approved Private School Entries
    All Approved Private Schools (APSs) entered their student data prior to the Deaf-Blind Child Count being opened for Early Intervention programs, school districts, charter schools, and service providers. While there are few infants and toddlers served in an APS, you may see a child in the Deaf-Blind Child Count which has been entered by an APS. For those programs with many students who qualify, this will save them valuable time. This was done by all APSs even if there are no students who qualify for the Deaf-Blind Child Count enrolled in their school. As the Early Intervention Program or LEA for these respective children, you must either confirm that the child is your responsibility or reject them if the child is not within your catchment area or in the age range of children you serve. After you confirm that you are the Early Intervention Program or LEA for the child, you can update other data as necessary.

    Deaf-Blind Child Count – Early Intervention Programs
    If you are the Early Intervention Program responsible for providing early intervention services to the entered child, you should confirm that the child is your responsibility. If the child is not the responsibility of your program (i.e., the child is not within your county/county joinder or in the age range of children you serve), please email [email protected].

Log In Information
The Deaf-Blind Child Count website is: https://www.leaderservices.com/_DBcensus.
The process for entering information is as follows:
How to log in and submit your count.

  1. Log in with your username and password at https://www.leaderservices.com/_DBcensus.
  2. If you do not know or cannot remember your username or password for the Deaf-Blind Child Count, use the “Forget your Login Info” link on the Deaf-Blind Child Count website to have the information emailed to you or email [email protected] for support.

If you have any questions regarding the data collection system or your responsibilities for entering child data into the Deaf-Blind Child Count, please email [email protected].

Significant Improvement in PA Medicaid, CHIP Payment Error Rates, State is Well Below National Average (November 29, 2023)

According to PA Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh, PA’s payment error rate for Medicaid has significantly improved since 2019 and now stands at 2.49 percent compared to 8.85 percent nationally. This makes PA’s rate among the lowest in the country.

Payment Error Rate Measurement (PERM) reviews are conducted every three years and measure improper payments for Medicaid and CHIP. For Pennsylvania’s most recently completed review cycle in 2022, the Medicaid improper payment rate was 2.49 percent and the CHIP improper payment rate was 5.58 percent. Those numbers are significantly lower than the newly reported federal figures for 2023 which show the national Medicaid improper payment rate is 8.85 percent, and the national CHIP improper payment rate is 12.81 percent.

These numbers also showed significant improvement over the 2019 review cycle, when Pennsylvania Medicaid error rate was 14.24 percent and the CHIP error rate was 20.67 percent. The national rates for Medicaid and CHIP were 14.90 percent and 15.83 percent, respectively.

Federal agencies are required to review programs they administer and identify those that may be susceptible to significant improper payments, estimate any improper payments, submit those estimates to Congress, and submit a report on actions the agency is taking to reduce the improper payments. Medicaid and CHIP are programs at risk for significant improper payments because of the large volume of services and expenditures involved.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) developed the PERM program to comply with oversight and reporting requirements. PERM does not measure fraud; it is a measurement of payments made that did not meet legal, regulatory, or administrative requirements and may be overpayments or underpayments. To learn more about Medicaid, CHIP and how to apply for health coverage, visit dhs.pa.gov.  

CR secures federal education funds through Feb. 2 (November 17, 2023)

On Thursday, November 16, 2023, President Biden a two-tiered stopgap spending measure that avoids a government shutdown and keeps some agencies funded into January and others, including education, through February 2. Late Wednesday, November 15th, the U.S. Senate approved the Continuing Resolution (CR) in an 87-11 vote, sending it to President Biden’s desk. 

However, parents and early childhood education providers are feeling disenfranchised since additional funds for child care were not made available through the CR.

Source: K-12 Dive

PDE: 2022-23 Assessment Results Show Continued Improvement (November 13, 2023)

On November 8, 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) released results from the 2022-2023 school year administration of state-level assessments: the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA), and Keystone Exams. This year’s results show that overall statewide achievement continues to improve across all subject areas. 

“This year’s assessment results underscore what we have said before—that with each passing year, participation and achievement will continue to improve,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin. “Pennsylvania’s results are well on their way to returning to pre-pandemic rates and we look forward to helping our students exceed those levels in the years ahead. Schools across the Commonwealth are using innovative new approaches, like online assessments, that are increasing flexibility for educators and learners—and we will continue to see an improvement in results over the coming years.” 

Overall improvement is consistent with gains seen in other states, with English Language Arts proficiency increasing from 54.1% in 21-22 to 54.5% in 22-23, Math increasing from 35.7% in 21-22 to 38.3% in 22-23, and Science increasing from 54.4% in 21-22 to 58.9% in 22-23. Another notable area of improvement was seen in English Learner Growth and Attainment, increasing from 22.2% in 21-22 to 29% in 22-23.

Participation and achievement data have been added to the Future Ready PA Index, a comprehensive reporting system for presenting school-level data across a broad range of indicators, such as English language acquisition, career readiness, access to advanced coursework, and regular attendance. The Future Ready PA Index shows continued improvement as well, as four-year cohort graduation rates increased to 87% and career readiness indicators increased to 89.5%.

Pennsylvania’s statewide assessments include the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment for grades 3 through 8; end-of-course Keystone Exams administered in middle and high school depending on when students take the corresponding subject; and the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment that ensures equitable participation by students who are unable to participate in the general assessments. Assessments must be administered in-person, which has affected assessment participation rates across the state over the past three years. Additionally, Act 136 of 2020 waived “banked scores” for middle and high school students who would have taken a Keystone Exam in school year 2019-20, decreasing the count of eligible testers in the cohort of test takers. These test waivers will impact Keystone results reporting through at least 2023-24.