Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children

Division for Early Childhood -
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DEC Vision & Mission

To cultivate a society where inclusion and belonging is a lived reality for young children and their families across a diverse diaspora that embraces, celebrates, and empowers them to be actively engaged in their communities.

It is the collective responsibility of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children to center the needs and realities of those who are most negatively impacted by systemic inequity. We advance and shape leadership, research, policy, and practice that supports, engages, and informs those who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children with or at risk for developmental delays and disabilities. DEC works to identify, interrogate, and dismantle systemic inequities so that young children and their families thrive.

News

IDEA 50th Anniversary: The Past, The Present, The Future

Thursday, November 13th, 2025, 4:00 - 5:00 PM Eastern Time - Register here. Join the National Coalition of Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services (NCPSSERS) for a powerful Virtual Town Hall commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This special event will feature a dynamic panel of parents and professionals reflecting on how IDEA has shaped their personal and professional lives over the past five dec

Call for Applications: Standards Ambassador Initiative

DEC is sponsoring a new initiative to promote the adoption, alignment, or integration of EI/ECSE Standards and resources into systems (i.e., local, regional, state/territory) that serve young children and their families. The pilot program will identify a Standards Ambassador(s) for each of a small number of states/territories. The roles and expectations for the EI/ECSE Standards Ambassador are to: Promote awareness of the EI/ECSE Standards; Support higher education faculty an

DEC Joins 59 Partners in Calling for Congressional Oversight

On October 23, 2025, the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) joined 59 national organizations in urging the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee to conduct an oversight hearing of the Executive Branch as it actively seeks to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (Department) and decimate implementation of key education and disability laws. Read the full letter here. Take Action Join DEC and our partners in speaking up for children, families,

Meet with the DEC Executive Board & Executive Office for the Monthly Coffee Chat

Meet the DEC Executive Board and Executive Office for the monthly DEC community coffee break. We'll discuss the field, share resources, and hear from you about the things that are important to the work you do!* The start times for this year's meetings vary to account for a variety of time zones. If you click the registration link for any given date, Zoom will automatically show the event in your time zone. October 15th, 2025, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Eastern Time - Register here.