Vermont IEP for Preschool: Early Childhood Special Education Explained

If your child is under five and you suspect a developmental delay or disability, Vermont's early childhood special education system starts at age 3 — not at kindergarten. The process looks different from K-12 IEPs, the eligibility rules are different, and the services are delivered differently. Here's what parents need to understand before their child's first evaluation.

The Transition from Early Intervention to School-Based Services

Children under age 3 in Vermont with developmental delays may receive services through Vermont's Part C early intervention program. When a child turns 3, they transition into the school-based system under Part B of IDEA, which is administered by the local supervisory union (SU) rather than a birth-to-three provider.

This transition is not automatic in terms of the child receiving an IEP. An evaluation must be completed and eligibility must be determined under the school-based criteria — which differ from Part C criteria. The transition process should begin well before the child's third birthday, ideally around 30 months. If your child is receiving early intervention services and approaching age 3, request a transition meeting immediately.

Eligibility Criteria for Preschool-Age Children in Vermont

Vermont Rule 2360 sets out distinct eligibility criteria for children ages 3 through 5. For this age group, a child is eligible for special education services if they demonstrate a developmental delay in one or more of the following areas:

• Physical development (gross motor, fine motor)
• Cognitive development
• Communication development
• Social or emotional development
• Adaptive development (self-help skills, daily living)

Vermont uses percentage-based delay thresholds: the child must demonstrate either a 40% delay in one developmental domain or a 25% delay in two or more domains, as measured by a standardized assessment tool administered by qualified evaluators.

Unlike eligibility for school-age children (which requires meeting criteria for one of the 13 IDEA disability categories and demonstrating adverse effect on educational performance), preschool eligibility under the developmental delay category is based purely on the assessment data showing the percentage delay. This is intentionally a lower barrier — early intervention before age 6 has significant evidence behind it.

The developmental delay category in Vermont only applies through age 5. By the time the child enters kindergarten, the IEP team must re-evaluate and, if services are to continue, establish eligibility under one of the 13 IDEA disability categories.

What Services Look Like at the Preschool Level

Preschool special education in Vermont is delivered in a range of settings. Vermont's commitment to inclusive education applies at the preschool level too, which means the first consideration is whether the child can receive services in a regular early childhood setting alongside peers without disabilities.

Common service delivery models in Vermont preschool special education:

Integrated Preschool Classes: Some supervisory unions operate integrated preschool classrooms where children with and without IEPs learn together. A special education teacher may co-teach, or specialists may push in to support the child.

Specialized Early Childhood Classes: For children with more intensive needs, some SUs operate self-contained preschool classrooms specifically for students with developmental delays.

Home-Based or Community-Based Services: In rural Vermont, especially in very small communities, a child may receive speech therapy, occupational therapy, or developmental instruction in the home or in a community childcare setting. This is a recognized and appropriate model for this age group, particularly for very young children or those in communities without nearby specialized programs.

Speech-Language Therapy, OT, PT: Related services can be delivered in the school, in a community setting, or via telehealth with increasingly accepted technology.

The IEP team determines the least restrictive environment for the preschool child using the same framework as for older students — the question is always whether the child can be served with appropriate supports in a regular early childhood setting first.

The Preschool Evaluation Process

The same evaluation timelines apply at the preschool level. After a written referral or parental request for evaluation, Vermont's 15-calendar-day rule requires the district to either convene an Evaluation Planning Team (EPT) meeting or seek parental consent to evaluate. Once consent is provided, the district has 60 calendar days to complete the evaluation and issue the report.

For preschool evaluations, the team typically includes a school psychologist or evaluator, a speech-language pathologist, an occupational therapist (particularly if fine motor or sensory concerns are present), and often a developmental specialist or early childhood special educator.

Parents are full members of the evaluation team and the IEP team. Your observations and concerns about your child's development at home carry legal weight in this process — Vermont Rule 2360 requires the team to consider parent-provided information as part of the evaluation.

The Preschool IEP Document

A preschool IEP looks similar to a school-age IEP but centers on developmental domains rather than academic subject areas. You'll see:

• Present Levels describing the child's current development across the domains assessed
• Annual Goals in areas of developmental delay (communication, motor, social-emotional, cognitive, self-care)
• Related Services (speech, OT, PT, developmental instruction) with frequency and duration
• Service setting (where services will be delivered)
• Transition planning — particularly the plan for moving the child toward kindergarten and re-evaluating eligibility

One important note: Vermont does not require kindergarten readiness as an IEP goal. The legal standard is the same as for all students — services must be reasonably calculated to enable the child to make progress appropriate in light of their circumstances.

If kindergarten is approaching, request an IEP meeting to discuss the re-evaluation process and what the eligibility determination will look like once the child enters the K-12 system.

The Vermont IEP & 504 Blueprint covers the preschool-to-kindergarten transition in detail, including the re-evaluation process and how to advocate for continued eligibility when the developmental delay category no longer applies.

Child Find and Preschool-Age Children

Vermont's Child Find obligation extends to all children from birth through age 21, including preschool-age children who are not yet enrolled in school. This means supervisory unions are legally required to proactively seek out children who may have disabilities — through screenings, community outreach, and coordination with pediatricians and childcare providers.

If you suspect your child under age 5 has a developmental delay or disability, you do not have to wait for a school screening or a referral from a doctor. You can contact your local supervisory union's special education director directly and request an evaluation in writing. That written request triggers Vermont's timeline protections.

If you're unsure which supervisory union covers your town, the Vermont Agency of Education ([email protected]) can direct you to the right office.

Common Preschool Parent Concerns

"They say my child will 'catch up' without services." The Child Find obligation exists precisely because early identification and intervention improve outcomes. A school's optimistic prediction is not a substitute for an evaluation. If you suspect a delay, request an evaluation in writing.

"They want to wait until kindergarten." Using the passage of time as a reason to delay evaluation is not permitted under Vermont law. If there is a suspected disability, the 60-day evaluation clock applies regardless of the child's age (as long as they are 3 or older).

"My child isn't in school yet — can they still get services?" Yes. Vermont provides preschool special education services to eligible children starting at their third birthday, regardless of whether the family is using a public preschool. Services can be provided in community childcare settings, in the home, or at the school building.

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