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 When Will My Child Leave Early On?
Many children stay eligible for Early On until they turn three.
At this age, Early On ends for every child. Your child’s needs
may then be met through other people and/or resources.

However, some children leave Early On before they turn three.

This happens when:
• Children catch up to other children their age. When this
happens, Early On will end because it is no longer needed.
• Families move and leave their current Early On team. They
can choose to join a new Early On team in their new area
(community, town, or city). Whether Early On ends or
keeps going depends on what the family wants.
• Families feel they don’t need Early On anymore. You can
start or stop Early On anytime you want.

What Happens When Early On Ends?

No matter what the reason is for leaving, there will be a time
when you will transition out of Early On. Transition means
leaving Early On to go to a new program, activity, or area
(community, town, or city). Before you leave Early On, you and
your team will make a transition plan. Your transition plan:
• Will help make leaving easier.
• Will list the next steps you will take to continue to support
your child’s development.
• Will include how the next steps will happen.
If you are leaving Early On because:
• your child has grown and caught up
• you are moving
• you feel you don’t need Early On anymore

Early On can work with you to think about what you would like
to have happen next for your child. You can make a transition
plan. The transition plan can list the options you will look at as
you make decisions about your next steps beyond Early On.

If you are leaving Early On because:

• your child is turning three

you and your Early On team will look at what should happen
next for your child. Plans will be made for your transition from
Early On. This planning must start at least 90 days and no
more than six months before your child’s third birthday.

If your child has been receiving special education services and 3

needs these services to continue, your service coordinator will
help you to contact your local school district and send them
information on your child’s abilities and services. The school
district will work with you and Early On to see if your child is
eligible for preschool special education services, and if so, what
services are appropriate.

If your child is not eligible for preschool special education, your

service coordinator will work with you to identify other options
that may be appropriate for you and your child.
 There are choices for children leaving Early On at age three,
whether or not the child receives special education preschool
services. Some children will go to:
• A private or church preschool.
• Head Start.
• Other activities near their home.

Some of these children will keep some of the same supports and
services (such as special education services) that were listed on
their Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). These supports
and services may link to the program or activity they attend.
Where children go and what they do when Early On ends is
individualized. Individualized means it is about you and your
child’s unique situation and needs. It is individualized because
each family and child is different.
Early On will ask if you would like to hold a transition
conference (a meeting to plan your child’s transition). This is
4 your choice. If you choose to do so, your team will bring
everyone together (from your Early On team and your new
program or activity) at a time and place convenient to you. If
you choose to not hold a transition planning conference, you
will work with your service coordinator. In either case you will
create a transition plan. Your plan will include:
• What you want next and how it could happen.
• Ways to helpAtyour child get ready
2 months, your for changes.
baby This includesto see,
is beginning
steps to help your child adjust to and learn in a new setting.
hear and feel the world. The brain is
• What you want to happen to your record (including your
developing quickly. Eyes are beginning to
IFSP). Your record can be given to the new program or
activity. No focus. Help
one in Early On your baby
can share yourlearn how to see,
information
with anyonehear
else without your written consent.
and feel. Let your baby look at things
• The who, what, where, and when of any actions you choose.
as you explore the house together. Let her
watch your mouth when you talk. Let him
feel different things by rubbing them on his
hands.
Whether you leave Early On earlier or at age three, your
team must talk to you about your Early On record. You can
choose what happens to your papers and plans when you
leave Early On. You and your team will list, on your
transition plan, what you want to do with your Early On
record.
• You might choose to have part or all of your record sent to
a new program, activity, or area.
• You also might choose to have your record “destroyed.”
This means taking out all personal information (like your
child’s name, address, and date of birth).

When our daughter was

almost two, we started thinking about
what came next. Our older kids went to our
church preschool, so that’s what we wanted
for her, too. We made plans to get the
teacher access to people and
information she needed to help make
preschool a success for all of us.
— Dad of a three-year-old
 As Early On ends…

You may have mixed feelings about leaving Early On.

You may miss the people who have been helping you, or
you may feel unsure of what to do or expect next.

The good thing is that you’re more prepared to help your

child in the coming years.

You’ve learned a lot about the activities, supports, and

services in your community. You’ve learned a lot about
your child and yourself. Your time in Early On has helped
to prepare you to work with others and as a team. You will
always have these skills and the know-how from your time
in Early On.

You may even feel ready to help others. There are new
families in Early On all the time. You may share your
experiences and learning with them.
6

Be sure to read the other parts of the guidebook to learn

more about your time in Early On.
➢ Part 1: Welcome to Early On
➢ Part 2: Our Individualized Family Service Plan
➢ Part 4: Early On Family Rights
 Learning More About Early On

Whom Can I Call With Questions?

There are many people and places you can call that can give
you help and information.
[ You can call your service coordinator. His or her name
and phone number are on your IFSP. You can also find
them in the front of this guidebook. Your service
coordinator will try to answer your questions and help
you find answers. He or she can also help you work out
problems.
[ In each area, Early On has a person in charge called the
Early On Coordinator. You can get your local Early On
Coordinator’s name and phone number from your
service coordinator, or you can call 1-800-EARLY ON
(1-800-327-5966).
[ Early On has Local Interagency Coordinating Councils
(LICCs). These are found in each county or counties. 7
LICCs make sure Early On is meeting the needs of
children and families. Your service coordinator or Early
On Coordinator can share more about your LICC.

We asked our service coordinator to

help us find other parents we could
talk to. We wanted more information
on what they had decided for their
children and how we could do
things too.
— Parents of a three-year-old
 Learning More About Early On

[ Parents on the LICC get a lot of information that they can

share. You may want to talk to one of them. You can also
join the LICC if you wish. It is another way to learn, and
you can help make choices about Early On for your area.
Your service coordinator or Early On Coordinator can help
you contact the parents on your LICC.
[ You can talk to families who are in Early On. They may
have good information to share and can be a support to
you. Ask your service coordinator to share your name
with other families.
[ You can contact support groups and advocacy
organizations. Ask your service coordinator for
information on support groups and advocacy
organizations.
[ If you have any questions, look at the Early On Family
Rights guidebook part 4 or the Your Family Has Rights
8 brochure. If you didn’t receive copies, ask your
service coordinator.
[ You can call 1-800-EARLY ON (1-800-327-5966). This is a
free phone call in Michigan. This phone is answered by
people who can help with answers and help you figure
out other places to call. Additional information about
Early On is also available at www.1800earlyon.org.
[ You can receive information about being in Early On by
calling the Michigan Department of Education, Office of
Early Childhood Education and Family Services at
(517) 373-8483.
Process Check

This Process Check is to help you follow the steps in the

Early On process. Use this Process Check to be sure each
step is done.

❑ Our Early On team talked with us about our Early On

record. We chose what happened to those papers and
plans when we left Early On.
❑ If our child left Early On at three years of age, we began
planning the transition at least 90 days before the
third birthday.
❑ Our Early On team asked us if we wanted a transition
conference. This was our choice. If we chose to do so,
our Early On team brought everyone together (from our
Early On team and the new program or activity).
❑ When it was time for our child and family to leave
Early On, our Early On team wrote a transition plan.
The transition plan listed the next steps we will take to
continue to support our child’s development. The plan
also included how the next steps will happen. 9

❑ We asked questions. We made sure we understood what

was said. We made sure we knew what was going to
happen for our child and family.

If any of these steps did not happen, talk to your service

coordinator. You can also look at the Early On Family Rights
guidebook part 4 or the Early On Your Family Has Rights
brochure.
 Glossary

Activities: The things a family does day-to-day or programs where

children can play and learn with others.
Advocacy Organizations: Groups that can help families understand
their rights. They can also speak or act on a family’s behalf.
Early On: Michigan’s system of early intervention. It is not one single
“program.” It’s a collection of activities, supports, services, and
resources provided by many programs.
Early On Coordinator: A person in charge of Early On in a local county
or counties.
Early On Your Family Has Rights Brochure: A document for families
that explains their rights while working with Early On.
Early On Record: All the papers and plans from your time in Early On.
It is also all the information you gave and that was gathered from
others.
Early On Team: A team that includes the parents and the service
coordinator. It also includes people who provide services. Everyone
will work together to support the growth and learning of a child.
10 Eligible: When a child qualifies to receive supports and services from
Early On. To be eligible for Early On, your child must have a
developmental delay. Your child may also be eligible if he or she has a
health issue that is likely to lead to a developmental delay.
Individualized: It is about you and your child’s own life and needs.
Every child and family is different.
Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP): A written plan of action
that guides everything a child and family will do while involved with
Early On. It lists what activities, supports, and services are needed
by the child and family.
Local Interagency Coordinating Council (LICC): A group of
professionals and parents from an area who suggest how Early On
should be run. An LICC can be found in each county or counties.
Michigan Department of Education: The unit that oversees Early On
in all intermediate and local school districts around Michigan. Early On
funding comes through the Michigan Department of Education.
Office of Early Childhood Education and Family Services:
A division in the Michigan Department of Education. It specifically
oversees programs for early childhood from birth to six years of age
and Early On Michigan.
Glossary

Parent: Any person responsible for the care and well-being of

a child. It could include birth parents, adoptive parents, single
parents, guardians, grandparents, or foster parents.
Service Coordinator: The family’s main contact in Early On.
This person supports and assists the family the entire time
they are in Early On. He or she knows about and has worked
with children with developmental delays.
Services: A specialized form of support from a trained
professional who works with you to help you learn how to
support the development of your child.
Support Groups: Groups who meet to support each other.
Supports: Help, resources, or information.
Transition: When a child and family leaves Early On to go to a
new program, activity, or area.
Transition Conference: A meeting to plan your child’s transition.
Transition Plan: This plan lists the next steps. It also includes
how the next steps will happen. If your child is leaving Early
On at age three, this plan must be made at least 90 days before 11

your child’s third birthday.

 Notes

12
Notes

13
 “As Governor, I will be
fighting for a Great Start
for every child in our state.”
Governor
Jennifer M. Granholm

State Board of Education Members

Kathleen N. Straus, President
John C. Austin, Vice President
Carolyn L. Curtin, Secretary
Marianne Yared McGuire, Treasurer
Nancy Danhof, NASBE Delegate
Elizabeth W. Bauer, Board Member
Reginald M. Turner, Board Member
Eileen Lappin Weiser, Board Member

Ex Officio Members
Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor
Michael P. Flanagan,
Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction

Understanding This Guidebook

If you need help reading or understanding the contents of this guidebook,
please contact 1-800-EARLY ON (1-800-327-5966).

This document was produced and distributed through an IDEA Mandated Activities Project for a
Public Awareness Grant. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or
policy of the Michigan Department of Education, the Michigan State Board of Education, or the U.S.
Department of Education, and no endorsement is inferred. This document is in the public domain
and may be copied for further distribution when proper credit is given. For further information or
inquiries about this project, contact the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Early
Childhood Education and Family Services, P.O. Box 30008, Lansing, MI 48909, (517) 373-8483,
www.michigan.gov/mde.

STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW

The Michigan Department of Education complies with all
Federal laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination,
and with all requirements of the U.S. Department of Education.

This document was printed 15,000 times at a per piece cost of 0.18. June 2006.