Date of Award
5-2025
Culminating Project Type
Starred Paper
Styleguide
apa
Degree Name
Early Childhood Special Education Studies: M.S.
Department
Child and Family Studies
College
School of Education
First Advisor
Frances Kayona
Second Advisor
Deborah Wheeler
Third Advisor
Melisa Brever
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
preschool, family, special education
Abstract
This starred paper includes an overview of the history of family involvement in early childhood special education, the legal relevance of family-centered practice, and the factors impacting strong family-educator partnerships in preschool special education settings. Research reviewed shows family-centered practices to be both relational and participatory in nature. Likewise, factors impacting successful partnerships between families and educators are also shown to include both human elements, like teacher attitudes, communication, and cultural considerations, and other factors like limited resources and school climate. The discussion section of the paper includes recommendations for future research and recommendations for practice including ensuring families experience a smooth transition into preschool, preparing teachers to partner successfully with families, and being cognizant of families’ changing needs.
Recommended Citation
Balicky, Jaynelle J., "Family-educator Partnerships: Models for Holistic Support of Children with Disabilities in The Preschool Environment" (2025). Culminating Projects in Child and Family Studies. 77.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/cfs_etds/77
