14.01 No child in ABC shall be dismissed or expelled from the program for behavior without approval from DCCECE.

14.02 Discipline shall reflect positive guidance, be consistent and individualized for each child. Such discipline shall be appropriate to the child's level of understanding. Corporal punishment is an unacceptable method of discipline and shall not be used. Programs shall specifically define their approach to handling inappropriate behavior in the ABC parent handbook.

14.03 When a child presents with challenging behavior, teaching staff shall follow the standards of NAEYC Accreditation:

• Observe the children, then identify events, activities, interactions and other factors that predict and may contribute to challenging behavior.

• Rather than focus only on eliminating the behavior, teaching staff shall focus on teaching the child social, communication, and emotional regulation skills and using environmental modifications, activity modifications, adult or peer support and other teaching strategies to support the child's appropriate behavior.

• Teaching staff shall respond to challenging behavior, including physical aggression, in a manner that:

- provides safety of the child

- provides for the safety of others in the classroom

- is calm

- is respectful to the child

- and provides the child with information on acceptable behavior.

14.04 Teacher-parent discussions regarding a child's behavior shall be held in private and shall focus on working as a team to develop and implement an individualized plan that supports the child's inclusion and success. (Adapted from NAEYC) Teachers should request technical assistance from DCCECE on any discipline issues on which they have questions.

14.05 If necessary, intervention shall ensure each child has access to professional services, such as referrals to the educational cooperative behavioral specialist, the ADE-funded regional support network for early autism identification, community mental health center and a private therapist. If a child in question has a disability and is in the process or has been identified under IDEA, the ABC program shall follow state special education rules and regulations governing suspension/expulsion.

14.06 If children demonstrate inappropriate behavior, as indicated by the results of the DECA given by ABC staff, the ABC program shall consult with the Early Childhood Special Education program regarding classroom modifications and interventions.

14.07 For any ABC child also receiving special education services, appropriate staff from the Education Cooperative or school district shall have access to the child at mutually agreeable times during the program day in order to provide services outlined in the child's IEP.

14.08 For any ABC child requiring the intervention services of special education, the ABC program shall collaborate with special education professionals to ensure each party has access to necessary information to provide the appropriate services. Early Education Special Education teachers shall have access to any information pertaining to a child receiving special education that is in the possession of the ABC program that would be necessary for reviewing and evaluating the child's progress in the general education setting. Access to proprietary information on the child shall be on a need-to-know basis.

14.09 A child shall not be dismissed from the ABC program due to a lack of toilet training skills. Nor may a program refuse to admit a child because of toilet training issues if the child meets all other age and income eligibility requirements.

14.10 ABC programs shall assist children not yet toilet-trained with cooperation and enthusiasm. Programs shall not employ toilet-training techniques which could be construed as punishment or shaming the child. Programs are encouraged to include the parent or guardian in any plan so it may be reinforced at home. Funds from ABC may be used to purchase resources necessary to support toilet training.