The National Status of In-Service Professional Development Systems for Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education Practitioners

Abstract

Early intervention and preschool special education coordinators in the 50 states and territories were interviewed about the current status of professional development in-service systems in their state. A definition consisting of 8 components of an in-service professional development system was used to analyze the state systems. Twenty Part C early intervention systems had professional development in-service training models that met the definition, and 23 preschool special education in-service systems met the definition. Results on selected findings are presented and discussed within the context of developing effective in-service professional development systems for the early intervention and preschool special education workforce.