Transition to Preschool & Kindergarten

Transition to Preschool and Kindergarten

Navigating Preschool Placements in the Seattle Public School District

Transitioning out of birth-to-3 services and supports and navigating public school evaluations and placements can be complicated. In this guide, we provide resources that may be helpful as you navigate this change in services for your child.

Birth-to-3 to Preschool Transition Process

FAQ for Caregivers or Providers:

All information below is from the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Education (OSPI) and can also be found on the OSPI.k12.wa.us website.

What is an evaluation?

• Evaluation is the first step in identifying an effective, appropriate educational program for a student. Evaluation determines initial and ongoing qualifications for special education services, as well as current areas of differences. Evaluation refers to the initial evaluation, reevaluation, as well as independent educational evaluation. 

What is an IEP?

• An IEP is an Individualized Education Program, a written document that identifies a student’s learning needs and guides their educational program. This includes identification of qualification of special education services, including dosage, or how much additional services and supports will be provided to a student, as well as identification of goals and objectives to support a student’s learning. 

What are placement determinations?

• Placement determination refers to the range of continuum of educational settings available to a student to implement IEP goals and provide identified IEP service minutes (dosage). This placement decision is determined by the IEP team and is the most appropriate for a specific student and their learning history and current needs. Placement determinations should consider the least restrictive environment.

Helpful Resources:

OSPI resources:

• Placement/ Least Restrictive Environment: Technical assistance resources on this page include research, articles, tools, templates, technical assistance centers, and Web sites. 
• Preschool Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) – Indicator 6 includes information about Preschool Inclusion Champions Project, National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) Intensive Technical Assistance Grant, and other resources
• The Decision Tree for Coding Early Childhood Educational Environments may be helpful. 
• Placement Decisions and the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Guidance for families.
• Special Education Referrals-In order to meet its “child find” obligations, your district will have procedures in place to locate, identify, and evaluate students between the ages of 3 and 21 who are suspected of having a disability and may be eligible for special education and related services.

 Other resources include:

• The Arc of King County. This guide includes definitions of commonly used terms and acronyms in placement decisions and provides a description of different preschool programs and placements.
• The IDEA Provisions Supporting Preschool Inclusion. This fact sheet includes the most recent policy letter from the US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) clarifying that the IDEA LRE provisions apply to preschool children with disabilities.
• ECTA Preschool LRE Reference Points and Discussion Prompts. This summary of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) provisions of the IDEA as applicable to preschool aged children with disabilities is intended to be used as both a quick reference guide and training tool. 
• Child Find Schools Have a Legal Duty to Evaluate Children Impacted by Disability