The Division for Early Childhood is delighted to announce Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu as the opening keynote speaker for DEC's 42nd Annual International Conference on Young Children with Disabilities and Their Families, taking place Monday, October 26th– Thursday, October 29th, 2026, in Omaha, Nebraska. Across early intervention, early childhood special education, higher education, leadership, and family engagement, DEC members share a commitment to creating inclusive communiti

Dear DEC Members and Partners, On June 16th, 2026, the Department of Education released a new Stakeholder Letter regarding the restructuring of the Department. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) will be partnering with the Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) to support the administration of programs for infants, toddlers, children, students, and individuals with disabilities. The Department of Justice (DOJ) will be the partner for t

Join the Division for Early Childhood this summer for the DEC Virtual Institute, a three-day virtual learning experience, Wednesday, June 10th through Friday, June 12th, 2026! The DEC Summer Institute will focus on inclusion that goes beyond access to true belonging for young children in home, school, and community settings. Together, participants will explore how professionals, families, and systems can ensure young children truly belong across home, school, and community en

Join us for the Division for Early Childhood's 43rd Annual International Conference on Young Children with Disabilities and Their Families, Tuesday, September 28th - Friday, October 1st, 2027, in Virginia Beach, Virginia! Download the Save the Date Flyer

Register interest and intent to attend Camp ECI 2026 by May 15th, 2026 here. What if professional learning felt like summer camp again? The excitement of being with friends, trying something new, learning without pressure, and leaving feeling accomplished, refreshed, and ready for what's next. Welcome to Camp ECI 2026 June 23rd-25th, 2026 - Avon, Connecticut An immersive summer experience designed for faculty in early childhood, early intervention, and early childhood special

Call for Co-Editors: DEC Monograph Series – Issue 2 May 2026 - October 2027 Wellbeing and Burnout in the EI/ECSE Workforce The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) invites applications for Co-Editors for Issue 2 of the DEC Monograph Series. This issue will focus on: Wellbeing and Burnout in the Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) Workforce EI/ECSE professionals across roles (e.g., practitioners, administrators, service coordinators, paraprofessionals,

Join the Division for Early Childhood for an overview of the progress and future direction of the “Be Part of EI” campaign. This session will introduce opportunities for a grassroots, crowd-sharing approach to strengthening awareness and encouraging engagement. Together, we will explore: What we can accomplish collectively! How we can pool our resources, share our stories, and influence others! How we will elevate EI as a shared national priority! Early Intervention is our

DEC Supports Maintaining All Parts of IDEA at the Department of Education DEC Members and Partners, We will begin by saying that we are very concerned about the funding of early childhood programs across the landscape as outlined in the President’s FFY 2027 Budget Request. This information is shared with a call for action that is not just for today but ongoing as it will take all of us to ensure that critical early childhood programs are accessible to families. While we appre

Deadlines Extended The DEC Family Committee is accepting applications now through Friday, May 29th, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Learn more. Apply here. The DEC Recommended Practices Committee is accepting applications now through Tuesday, June 30th, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern Time - Learn more. Apply here. The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) is now accepting applications for open committee positions across nine of our active committees. The details of each committee's call an

DEC and NAEYC are revising the 2009 Joint Position Statement on Early Childhood Inclusion to reflect current research and practice. We’re now in the final phase of feedback and invite you to review the draft and share your input. Your perspective will help ensure the statement reflects the needs of the field and supports inclusive practices for young children with disabilities. Feedback is open through Monday, April 27th, 2026. Review the draft and complete the survey here. D