Research Report
State(s) of Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education
Looking at Equity
Date
May 1, 2023
The State(s) of Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education: Looking at Equity is the first equity-focused report to look state-by-state at the two federally funded programs for young children with disabilities. The report focuses on the 2020-2021 school year and also includes data beginning with the 2005-2006 school year. It explores four types of variation in early intervention (EI) and early childhood special education (ECSE) services:
- Impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic
- Race and Ethnicity
- Gender
- The State in which a child lives
The report finds areas were EI and ECSE are unequal, and sometimes clearly inequitable too. Most striking, we find that children living in states with lower median state median incomes are less likely to receive both EI and ECSE. Asian, Black, and Hispanic children are less likely than White children to receive EI and ECSE. The differences are especially large for Black children and flip at school-age. Boys are twice as likely as girls to receive EI and ECSE. And, like other early childhood education programs, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many fewer children receiving EI and ECSE.The report explores these themes further, highlighting both within and between state variations in who has access to EI and ECSE and where children receive services. We also lay out recommendations for increased funding, better data, and a national commission to explore the issues highlighted in the report.
Table of Contents
- Full Report
- Executive Summary
- Key Themes
- Covid-19 Pandemic
- Race & Ethnicity
- Gender
- State Variation
- Guide to the State Profiles
- Glossary
- Endnotes
- National Profile
- Appendix Tables
- National Press Release / En Español
- Press Briefing
State Profiles
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Territory Profiles
American Samoa
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Federated States of Micronesia
Guam
Republic of Palau
Puerto Rico
Republic of the Marshall Islands
Virgin Islands
The Authors
Allison Friedman-Krauss is an Assistant Research Professor at NIEER where she is also the Associate Director for Policy Research and Director of the Infant and Toddler Policy Research Center.
W. Steven (Steve) Barnett is a Board of Governors Professor and the founder and Senior Co-Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University. Dr. Barnett’s work primarily focuses on public policies regarding early childhood education, child care, and child development.
Suggested Citation
Friedman-Krauss, A. H., & Barnett, W. S. (2023). The State(s) of Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education: Looking at Equity. New Brunswick, NJ: National Institute for Early Education Research.