Division for Early Childhood

The Division for Early Childhood (DEC), founded in 1973, is a nonprofit organization whose members include teachers, therapists, family members, and others who care for, or work on behalf of, children birth through age 8 with special needs, and their families. Children with special needs include those with disabilities or developmental [Page 433]delays and those at risk for future developmental problems. The DEC has two main purposes: (1) to identify and encourage use of evidence-based practices that best support children’s development and learning and (2) to promote policies that support children with special needs and their families. The DEC is one of 17 divisions of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), an organization focused on improving educational outcomes for students who have disabilities and/or are ...