Discovery Children's Center

Preschool –DDTCS Center-based: The preschool program serves children ages 6 months to 5 years old who have been determined to have a developmental disability of Mental Retardation, Epilepsy, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, a Non-Categorical Developmental Delay or a combination of those conditions previously stated, with the exception that DCDDC does not accept medically fragile children or children needing medical treatment during center hours. The hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for holidays, Christmas break and spring break as prescribed in each child’s individual service plan (IFSP or IEP). The areas of Habilitation will be gross motor, fine motor, language, social/emotional and self-care. Each child receiving habilitation will be assessed using a criterion-based developmental assessment and other pertinent information. A team consisting of parents, guardians, teachers, psychologists, therapists and any others requested will determine the needs of each eligible child. Due process will be adhered to for each eligible child and each will be eligible to receive developmental, occupational, transportation, physical and speech therapies as determined in the service plan. Preschool habilitation services for eligible children will be provided at no cost to the parent/guardian.

Breakfast, lunch and one snack will be provided. Persons responsible for this component are the Executive Director and Preschool Administrator. The Preschool Administrator will be a certified teacher with/or working on certification in Early Childhood Special Education. Ratio requirements for ages 0-3 are 1:4 and for ages 3-5, 1:7.

The preschool will strive to create an educational system that closely relates to the natural environment of all children, with or without disabilities by providing an integrated preschool that allots a selective number of slots to children without delays or developmental disabilities.

Pre-school service is a facility-based program desgined to provide specialized services to children who have been diagnosed as developmentally disabled or developmentally delayed and who are not school age. School age is defined as having reached the age of five years on or before the date set by the Arkansas Department of Education. A child reaching age five after that date is not considered school age until the next school year.

Services must be provided for the purpose of teaching habilitation goals as set forth in the plan of care. Services are established on a unit-of-service basis. Each unit of service equals one hour. A maximum of five units per day is allowed.

Time spent in transit from the person’s place of residence to the provider facility and from the facility back to the person’s place of residence is not included in the unit of service calculation.

Additional Information: Level 2 Better Beginnings;