Proposed Bill of Rights improves access to educational services for early childhood students of color with exceptionalities, suggesting systemic reforms.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing disparities in early intervention (EI) and early childhood special education (ECSE) services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) disabled children, exposing critical gaps in access, services and support. systemic inconsistencies in implementation, training, and funding, remain barriers limit opportunities for CLD students to benefit, despite the aims of the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEA). To address these inequities, this manuscript proposes an expanded and updated Culturally Responsive Equity-Based Bill of Rights for EI and ECSE. Building upon Ford and colleagues' (2018) work, this revised document extends protections to children aged zero to five, emphasizing access to technology, internet, and healing-centered engagement services. It serves as a practical tool for parents, communities, schools, curriculum developers, and universities to advocate for and implement culturally sustaining practices. By highlighting the limitations of current legal frameworks and providing actionable recommendations, such as increased funding for culturally responsive training, this Bill of Rights aims to ensure equitable, culturally responsive education for all CLD disabled children, fostering improved outcomes and well-being.
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Simmons-Reed et al. (2026) studied this question.