Provides comprehensive, developmentally appropriate educational experiences for children ages 3 to 5 who demonstrate a range of development delays of rish factors that may impact their readiness for kindergarten.

The program offers:

• Targeted programming to support the development of:

  • Communication skills, including expressive and receptive language, pragmatic language, and augmentative communication supports when needed

  • Adaptive behavior, such as self-help skills, regulation, and independence

  • Motor Development, including both gross and fine motor skills, with support from occupational and physical therapists as appropriate

Program Schedule

• Morning Session (AM): 8:55 – 11:25 a.m.
• Afternoon Session (PM): 12:55 – 3:25 p.m.

Each session provides 150 minutes of structured learning time, consistent with ISBE recommendations for meaningful engagement and instructional intensity in early childhood education.

Classroom Models

The program operates two primary instructional models:

1. Blended Classrooms
   • Average Class Size: 20 students
   • Staff-to-Student Ratio: 3:20
   • Includes a mix of typically developing peers and students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
   • Supports the goals of Preschool for All (PFA) by integrating children with diverse abilities in a shared learning environment
   • Promotes peer modeling, social-emotional development, and inclusive practices
      
2. Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Classrooms
   • Average Class Size: 10 students
   • Staff-to-Student Ratio: 3:10
   • Designed to serve students with more intensive or complex developmental needs
   • Provides increased individualized instruction, therapy integration, and smaller group work
   • Ensures alignment with IDEA mandates and ISBE’s goals for equitable access to early intervention

Staffing and Support

All classrooms are led by Early Childhood Certified Teachers, supported by licensed related service providers (e.g., speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, social workers) and paraprofessionals. This team-based approach enables flexible, responsive support and ensures compliance with IEP goals, Preschool for All Quality Standards, and ISBE Early Childhood Block Grant expectations.

Key Features of the Program Design

• Evidence-based instruction grounded in IELDS
• Inclusive peer interactions and embedded social-emotional learning
• Consistent progress monitoring using tools like Teaching Strategies GOLD
• Family engagement integrated into routines, transitions, and IEP planning
• Smooth transitions to kindergarten, supported through inter-grade collaboration

• Early Childhood/Special Education Teachers
• Paraprofessionals

The following related service providers are available as needed:

• Psychologist
• Vision Impaired Itinerant
• Occupational Therapist
• Social Worker
• Hearing Impaired Itinerant
• Speech Language Therapist
• Behavior Certified Behavior Analyist
• Physical Therapist
• Multilingual Teacher

The Early Childhood program utilizes a language-rich, developmentally appropriate curriculum aligned with Creative Curriculum objectives, ensuring a whole-child approach to learning. Instruction is delivered through a multi-sensory, theme-based model that supports engagement across all developmental domains. Speech and language development is intentionally embedded using a variety of communication modalities, including spoken language, picture-based augmentative communication systems, and adapted technology strategies that align with Creative Curriculum’s communication and language objectives. Cognitive, communication, daily living, fine and gross motor, and social-emotional skills are explicitly taught and supported through intentional teaching and embedded learning opportunities.

Fine and gross motor skills are further enhanced by the involvement of an Occupational Therapist, who collaborates within the classroom to integrate motor activities aligned with physical development objectives in Creative Curriculum. Social-emotional learning is intentionally integrated using the PurposeFull People curriculum, which complements Creative Curriculum social-emotional objectives by explicitly teaching character traits, self-awareness, relationship-building, and responsible decision-making. This comprehensive, collaborative approach ensures that all learners are supported across all areas of development, in alignment with both Creative Curriculum and PurposeFull People frameworks.

Key features of the program include:

• Small group instruction, which allows educators to individualize learning and target instruction to meet each child’s developmental level, in alignment with ISBE’s emphasis on differentiated instruction and individualized support.
• Integrated therapy services support educational goals directly within the classroom setting, reflecting ISBE’s endorsement of collaborative and inclusive service delivery to ensure access for all learners.
• Instruction is guided by annual IEP goals and short-term objectives, ensuring intentional planning that aligns with the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards (IELDS) and the Illinois Learning Standards, as required by ISBE.
• A language-rich, multi-sensory, theme-based curriculum fosters engagement and builds foundational skills across all domains of development—supporting ISBE’s focus on language acquisition, literacy development, and social-emotional growth.
• A positive learning environment built on creative planning and engaging instruction cultivates curiosity and supports the ISBE goal of developing enthusiastic, confident early learners.
• Weekly newsletters promote strong school-to-home connections, enabling families to reinforce learning experiences at home, as emphasized in ISBE's PFA family engagement priorities.