What is the Inclusive Classroom Profile?

From Brookes Publishing: A one-of-a-kind tool for classrooms serving children ages 2–5, the Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP™) assesses 12 key practices with the strongest research base for supporting the education and development of young children in inclusive programs:

• Adaptations of Space, Materials, and Equipment
• Adult Involvement in Peer Interactions
• Adults’ Guidance of Children’s Free-Choice Activities and Play
• Conflict Resolution
• Membership
• Relationships between Adults and Children
• Support for Communication
• Adaptation of Group Activities
• Transitions between Activities
• Feedback
• Family-Professional Partnerships
• Monitoring Children’s Learning

Illinois & The Inclusive Classroom Profile

Background

In 2015, Illinois was fortunate to be asked to pilot use of The Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP) before its publication. Since Early CHOICES is the inclusion initiative of the Illinois State Board of Education, it was a natural fit for staff to be training to reliability on the tool. Alongside Early CHOICES, staff from STAR NET were also selected for initial training.

In the years since that original training, Early CHOICES has expanded its use of the ICP for several different purposes.

Outstanding Practices in Inclusion 

To achieve the Outstanding Practices in Inclusion acknowledgement, programs must show that they have completed a program-wide self-reflection process with all classroom teams using the ICP. If they are advanced to the final stage of the application process, a team of reliable assessors will complete observations in a sampling of the program’s inclusive classrooms.

Professional Learning: High Quality Inclusive Classroom Practices & Self-Reflection

Early CHOICES realized early on that the tool was very useful as a framework for classroom teams to explore practices and reflect on implementation. CHOICES developed a system for using the ICP for self-reflection with curated associated resources and tools.

Early CHOICES has facilitated this work with LEA teams across Illinois. A paper written by Ann Kremer and Emily Ropars, entitled Technical Assistance and Professional Learning for Teaming and High Quality Inclusion , was published by The Division for Early Childhood in their DEC Recommended Practices Monograph Series No. 6: Teaming and Collaboration

• Livebinder for Self-Reflection
• Livebinder ICP Resources by Items

ICP for Data and Action Planning for Quality

Early CHOICES and STAR NET staff who are trained to reliability are available to complete classroom assessments in programs who have intensive technical assistance/collaborative agreements with either project. Data is used to create action plans for teams to focus on implementation of practices, and for leaders to create a professional learning plan specific to areas of focus.

Please reach out to Early CHOICES at inclusion@eclre.org for more information, or your STAR NET Region’s Project Leader. To find your STAR NET region, visit https://www.starnet.org/.