JAASEP SPECIAL ISSUE 2026 Part 5 of 5
All series
- ADHD Series
- Assessment in Special Education Series
- Autism Spectrum Disorders Series
- Bullying of Children
- Classroom Management Series
- Diagnosis of Students with Disabilities and Disorders Series
- Discipline of Students in Special Education Series
- Early Intervention Series
- Genetics in Special Education Series
- How To Series
- IEP Components
- Inclusion Series
- JAASEP – Research Based Journal in Special Education
- LD Report
- Lesser Known Disorders
- NASET News Alert
- NASET Q & A Corner
- NASET Survival Guides
- Parent Teacher Conference Handouts
- Resolving Disputes with Parents Series
- RTI Roundtable
- Severe Disabilities Series
- Special Education: What Do the Latest Numbers Tell Us?
- Special Educator e-Journal – Latest and Archived Issues
- The Practical Teacher
- Treatment and Support for IEP Students with Disabilities
- Working with Paraprofessionals in Your School
Ohio currently has more than 83,000 teachers, administrators, and aides in early care and education (ECE) programs, including approximately 7,000 working in Head Start programs. When asked about areas in which they need support, ECE teachers and leaders consistently identify challenging behavior (Jones et al., 2025; O’Leary et al., 2025). Moreover, Ohio teachers have reported that, since the COVID-19 pandemic, more children are entering school with increasingly intensive behavioral support needs that affect learning and social participation at younger ages than previously experienced (Ohio Kindergarten Teacher Survey, 2026; Ohio Department of Children and Youth, 2005b; ElevateDD/DSACO, 2023; Groundwork Ohio, 2024). These contextual realities have contributed to children being turned away, informally, or formally expelled, from ECE programs, disrupting both children’s learning and parents’’ ability to work. While expulsion risk affects many young children, Ohio data suggest that children with developmental disabilities and their families experience compounded barriers in accessing and sustaining stable care. A statewide survey of 755 Ohio families found that nearly one in five respondents reported workforce disruptions due to child care arrangements and challenges maintaining child care subsidies once obtained (Groundwork Ohio, 2024).
Abstract
Young children with challenging behaviors and disabilities are disproportionately excluded from early care and education settings, a pattern seen across Ohio and throughout the nation. This exclusion impacts workforce participation and limits children’s access to the well-documented developmental, social, and educational benefits of high-quality early care and education. Over the past six years, Ohio has implemented a statewide initiative (Ohio PROMISE) designed to reduce exclusion and increase inclusive opportunities for young children with challenging behaviors and disabilities in early care and education environments. Ohio PROMISE is built upon five pillars: provider credentialing, program designation, a statewide center of excellence, an advisory committee, and child care subsidy supports. Initial implementation data across the Ohio PROMISE pillars are promising and demonstrate broad adoption of inclusive practices and strategies statewide. As Ohio PROMISE continues to evolve, the initiative remains focused on identifying innovative approaches to meet the changing needs of Ohio’s children, families, and early childhood workforce.Keywords: social-emotional learning, routines, caregiver responsiveness, framework, cultural responsiveness.