	The Kansas Division for Early Childhood
Home Constitution/ Bylaws Links Newsletter KDEC Conference KDEC Awards Officers Policies Board Members Needed	KANSAS SUBDIVISION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD POLICIES Officer Duties The Past President shall: chair the Nominations and Elections Committee as outlined by KDEC Bylaws (see Article IV-Committees, Section 6, page 12). assist in conference planning and other activities to provide continuity for the subdivision. assume other specific duties as determined by the President. represent KDEC at Kansas Federation CEC meetings in the absence of the President. chair Awards Committee as outlined by KDEC Bylaws (see Article IV- Committees, Section 11, page 13). assist with conference by serving on conference committee and carrying out duties as assigned. refer to CEC’s publication for subdivisions. assume mini grant process to include solicitation of proposal at annual conference with proposal review conducted by April 30th, notification by May 30th via email or phone, work with student representative to organize presentations at next conference and to organize written and submitted recipients report summary for newsletter. The President shall: be the chief executive officer of the subdivision. call and preside at the annual business meeting at KDEC conference. call and preside at the business meetings of the Executive Board (meetings to be in September, March and June). recommend Chairpersons of committees with input of the Executive Board with exception of the Nominations and Elections, Finance and Operations, Publications and Awards committee. review and recommend ex-officio membership. be an ex-officio member of all committees with the exception of the Nominations and Elections Committee. actively represent the subdivision in coordinating efforts with other agencies. (i.e. introduce self as a KDEC member and if appropriate, seek out the opportunity to encourage membership). provide leadership to the general policy-making and carry out directions of the membership. make an annual report to the Kansas Federation of the Council or Exceptional Children and the International Division for Early Childhood. serve on the Federation convention program committee and arrange for appropriate sessions for the subdivision. work with Past-President to evaluate, organize and carry out any remaining programs initiated by the Past President. provide for the orderly transition of the Presidency through involvement of the President-Elect. delegate responsibilities, supervise, and give assistance whenever necessary. prepare the KDEC meeting agenda and distribute it in advance to officers and committee chairs. represent KDEC at International DEC Conference. represent KDEC at Kansas Federation CEC meetings. refer to CEC’s publication for subdivisions. assist with conference by serving on conference committee and carrying out duties as assigned. Back to the top The President Elect shall: serve in the place of the President with the President’s authority in case of absence or disability of the President. chair the conference committee that each executive board member is a member of and assign duties deemed as appropriate to board members and oversee the completion of all conference timeline activities. Make necessary arrangements for the annual subdivision conference according to the policies and directions of the Executive Board, prepare a draft of the complete convention program for approval by the conference committee, and present an evaluation and report of the conference at the close of the conference. work closely with the President and take on delegated or jointly decided responsibilities. represent KDEC at Kansas Federation CEC meetings. refer to CEC’s publications for subdivisions. The Vice-President shall: serve in the President’s place and with the President’s authority in case of absence of disability of the President and President-Elect. assume designated responsibilities which will provide training for advancement to the office of President-Elect and President. serve as the editor of the newsletter and as chairperson of the Publications Committee. Newsletters shall be published in September, January and May. initiate preparations for the following year’s conference while serving as President-Elect (i.e. book the hotel by Jan. 15th of the preceding year, review and analyze conference planner needs with the President-Elect and the Executive Board). refer to CEC’s publication for subdivisions. assist with conference by serving on conference committee and carrying out duties as assigned. Back to the top The Secretary shall: keep a record of all proceedings of the annual business meeting and the meetings of the Executive Board. keep a record of all correspondence as necessary for the operation of the organization. be responsible for activities related to amendments to the subdivision constitution and bylaws. distribute minutes of meetings within three weeks to Executive Board officers and committee chairs. maintain for reference at each meeting a copy of the KDEC constitution, bylaws, minutes of meetings (2 years previous), and lists of committee members. transfer minutes and correspondence more than four years old to the historian. assume other specific duties assigned by the President. refer to CEC’s publication for subdivisions. assist with conference by serving on conference committee and carrying out duties assigned. develop, circulate, and maintain an updated list of officers and committee chairs. The Treasurer shall: make an annual report of the financial status of the subdivisions to the Executive Board and membership at the annual business meeting. prepare and submit an annual budget for approval by the Executive Board prior to the presentation at the annual business meeting. conduct and maintain records of all financial transactions as directed by the Executive Board. financial transactions as authorized by the Executive Board. copies of vouchers, receipts, bank statements, canceled checks, etc. details of money being handled by other members. receipts of all money received. high-interest yielding accounts. chair the Finance and Operations Committee. serve as a member of the Finance and Operations Committee for one additional year. upon receipt of International CEC reimbursement will verify membership count with Membership Chair. be bonded prior to initiation and throughout tenure. communicate budget status to KDEC officers and chairpersons at Executive Board meetings. complete non-profit tax report as required by the Internal Revenue Service. assume duties designated by the President. ensure that the Treasurer’s and President’s names are listed on all financial accounts. conduct audit of books upon closing of the conference and upon transfer of the books. contract a professional audit every 3 to 5 years upon recommendation of Executive Board. refer to CEC’s publication for subdivisions. assist with conference by serving on conference committee and carrying out duties as assigned. check to make sure the web domain has been paid. check to make sure web site charges have been paid on a regular cycle. Back to the top The Membership Chairperson shall: formulate plans to be approved by the Executive Board for membership maintenance and recruitment. maintain a written record of the activities conducted to maintain and increase membership. maintain quarterly records of membership. serve as a resource for membership information and dissemination of application materials. develop and function within annual budget for membership cost center. maintain display board, update as necessary, and investigate opportunities for presentations. The Historian shall: maintain the archives of the organization. compile materials and photographs to record the activities of the current year. The Student Representative shall: provide liaison between the student members and the Executive Board. assist the Membership Chair in recruitment of and service to student members. plan student directed session(s) at KDEC conference. assist President-Elect with planning poster session at KDEC conference. The Finance and Operations Committee shall: develop the annual budget for recommendation to the Executive Board. recommend procedures and policies for financial reimbursements, e.g., mileage. serve in an advisory capacity to the board regarding matters pertaining to budget and finance. budget fund raising membership recruitment review of expenditures The Children Action Network Committee shall: develop legislative strategies under direction of the Executive Board. identify legislative priorities under direction of the Executive Board. disseminate information pertinent to the national and state legislative programs. assist with interagency cooperation on legislative issues. report on committee activities at every board meeting. The chairperson of the Children Action Network Committee shall serve as the subdivision’s representative to the Federation Governmental Relations Committee and the Kansas Coalition for Children. Back to the top The Publications Committee shall: be chaired by the Vice President at Newsletter Editor and co-chaired by the Secretary. consist of at least two other KDEC members appointed by the Vice President. oversee the distribution of three communications per year to the membership which are to be distributed in September (solicit officer nominations, recommendations and award nomination recommendations and advertise conference), January (conference announcements, advertise conference, on-line registration, and DEC conference update), and May (nominations for awards, conference write up, mini grant proposal announcements, officer election results, award results, republish budgets and minutes from annual meeting). Membership solicitation should be included in all newsletters. keep KDEC membership/conference attendees mailing list current. develop and function within annual budget for the newsletter line item. assist in mailing of any other publications at the direction of the KDEC Board or President. send copies of the current membership mailing list to other recognized nonprofit professional organizations upon their requests. FINANCES All financial accounts for the organization must have two signatures to avoid any problems with inaccessibility to the funds. The Treasurer is responsible for ensuring that the President’s name and signature is on all accounts. Reimbursement Policies Reimbursement policies are subject to review on a yearly basis because of fluctuating financial resources and budget decision-making. Travel of Executive Board members, Committee Chairs, and Representatives to various Committees will be reimbursed at a rate of $0.22 per mile round-trip to attend Board meetings. If an individual has to travel more than 150 miles, KDEC will pay mileage and the cost of a hotel room upon request. Ex-officio members will not have travel expenses reimbursed. Receipts of expenses must be submitted in order to receive reimbursement. Back to the top Networking/Communication Board Minutes. Any KDEC member may receive Board minutes by submitting a request to the Secretary and providing envelopes and postage or an e-mail address. Officer Transitions. When new officers join the Board, a transition meeting will be arranged by the President to give outgoing officers the opportunity to orient the new officers to their positions. Mailing List. Nonprofit organizations requesting mailing labels from KDEC will be charged for the cost of the labels. Mailing lists will be free to nonprofit organizations. Neither mailing lists nor labels will be released to for profit organizations. Addresses of individuals on the mailing list should be updated following the KDEC spring conference. The Conference Chair (President Elect) will provide the Publications Chair (Vice President) with the names and addresses of conference participants, following the conference. New Newsletter subscribers’ names should be sent to the Publications Chair (Vice President) and the Conference Chair (President-Elect). Individuals who have not attended the KDEC Conference for one year, are not DEC members, or have not paid the Newsletter subscription fee ($20.00) will be dropped from the Newsletter mailing list. Back to the top Ad Hoc Constitutional Committee The Ad Hoc Constitutional Committee is made up of three past Presidents who are residing in the state. Tied Elections In the case of a tied election, officers, chairpersons, and committee members will vote by secret ballot to elect the individual for the position. Voting will be done prior to the annual membership meeting. Advocacy Any Board member providing legislative testimony or public comment on behalf of KDEC should submit a copy of it to the KDEC Secretary or distribute it to Board members. Award Selection Procedure Call for nominations for awards will appear in a fall communication. The deadline for receiving applications will be 30 days prior to the Annual Conference. The Awards Committee, chaired by the Past President with four additional members representing diverse geographic areas of the state as well as professional disciplines, will evaluate the applications and select the award recipients. The announcement of award recipients and biographical information will be disseminated to the membership. The awards will be presented during the General Session of the Annual Conference. The Outstanding Student, Distinguished Service Provider, and KDEC Award of Excellence recipients are forwarded to the Kansas Federation of CEC competition and are due June 30th. The recipient of the state level award is then submitted for International CEC competition and is awarded at their annual conference. Back to the top Outstanding Student CEC/DEC Member The “Outstanding Student CEC/DEC Member” Award is presented to current full-time student member of CEC/DEC who has contributed a great deal of time, energy and support to their Student CEC Chapter, and to exceptional children and their families. Criteria to consider when nominating an individual: Number of years involved in Student CEC. Number of years involved in Division for Early Childhood. Experience as an officer or committee chair. Shows initiative in developing programs and events. Maintains involvement in Student CEC/DEC activities. Serves as a positive role model. Exhibits professionalism. Encourages membership in CEC/DEC. Attends meetings, conferences and workshops. Works with exceptional individuals and their families outside CEC activities, i.e., volunteer activities, summer activities. Exhibits a sincere commitment to exceptional children, their families, and the field of special education. Back to the top Direct Service Provider Award The “Direct Service Provider” Award is presented to a current CEC/DEC member who has made contributions to exceptional children and their families. The candidate for this award has less than 10 years of experience and provides direct service or related services to young exceptional children and their families. The award honors those who are beginning their career and have made exemplary contributions in their local area. Criteria to consider when nominating an individual: Number of years involved in CEC. Number of years involved in DEC. Maintains involvement in CEC/DEC/KDEC activities. Serves as a positive role model. Exhibits professionalism. Encourages membership in CEC/DEC. Works with exceptional children and their families outside of CEC/DEC activities. Works with local community to promote the awareness level of special programs for young children and their families. Exhibits a sincere commitment to exceptional children, their families, the field of special education, and their community. Back to the top Distinguished Service Provider The “Distinguished Service Provider” Award is presented to a CEC/DEC member who has made exemplary contributions to KDEC. The candidate must have demonstrated exemplary performance over a period of time as a provider of direct services to children and their families. The nominee should have demonstrated such exemplary qualities as innovativeness, imagination, creativity, and the ability to inspire. Such achievements should be clearly recognized by members of the profession and others knowledgeable of the candidate. The individual must be a CEC/DEC member in good standing both currently and for at least the previous 5 years. Criteria to consider when nominating an individual: Membership in CEC/DEC. Maintains involvement in CEC/DEC/KDEC activities. Serves as a positive role model. Exhibits professional leadership. Encourages membership in CEC/DEC. Experience serving KDEC in a leadership role. Ten years or more experience as a service provider. Awards of Excellence The “Award of Excellence” honors an individual who has made significant contributions to the development of young children with disabilities and their families. Contributions may be in one or more of the following areas: publications, research, development of new concepts, approaches or programs, new techniques for diagnosis or rehabilitation, improved psychological or education evaluation procedures, improved administrative procedures, practical application of improved teaching devices, and dynamic leadership. Criteria to consider when nominating an individual: Ten years experience in Intervention/Special Education in Kansas. Kansas residence at the time of selection and current CEC/DEC membership. Statewide visibility. Influence in the field of Early Intervention/Special Education in the state. Dedication to CEC/DEC. Back to the top Outstanding Contributor Award The “Outstanding Contributor” Award honors an individual who has made a significant contribution to Early Intervention/Special Education in Kansas. All CEC/DEC members are eligible for this award, as well as non-members. Individuals who might be considered for this award are parents, legislators, physicians, educators, or others who have made a significant contribution in any area dealing with the exceptional young children and their families. Back to the top

The Kansas Division for Early Childhood

KANSAS SUBDIVISION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD

POLICIES

Officer Duties

The Past President shall:

chair the Nominations and Elections Committee as outlined by KDEC Bylaws (see Article IV-Committees, Section 6, page 12).
assist in conference planning and other activities to provide continuity for the subdivision.
assume other specific duties as determined by the President.
represent KDEC at Kansas Federation CEC meetings in the absence of the President.
chair Awards Committee as outlined by KDEC Bylaws (see Article IV- Committees, Section 11, page 13).
assist with conference by serving on conference committee and carrying out duties as assigned.
refer to CEC’s publication for subdivisions.
assume mini grant process to include solicitation of proposal at annual conference with proposal review conducted by April 30th, notification by May 30th via email or phone, work with student representative to organize presentations at next conference and to organize written and submitted recipients report summary for newsletter.

The President shall:

be the chief executive officer of the subdivision.
call and preside at the annual business meeting at KDEC conference.
call and preside at the business meetings of the Executive Board (meetings to be in September, March and June).
recommend Chairpersons of committees with input of the Executive Board with exception of the Nominations and Elections, Finance and Operations, Publications and Awards committee.
review and recommend ex-officio membership.
be an ex-officio member of all committees with the exception of the Nominations and Elections Committee.
actively represent the subdivision in coordinating efforts with other agencies. (i.e. introduce self as a KDEC member and if appropriate, seek out the opportunity to encourage membership).
provide leadership to the general policy-making and carry out directions of the membership.
make an annual report to the Kansas Federation of the Council or Exceptional Children and the International Division for Early Childhood.
serve on the Federation convention program committee and arrange for appropriate sessions for the subdivision.
work with Past-President to evaluate, organize and carry out any remaining programs initiated by the Past President.
provide for the orderly transition of the Presidency through involvement of the President-Elect.
delegate responsibilities, supervise, and give assistance whenever necessary.
prepare the KDEC meeting agenda and distribute it in advance to officers and committee chairs.
represent KDEC at International DEC Conference.
represent KDEC at Kansas Federation CEC meetings.
refer to CEC’s publication for subdivisions.
assist with conference by serving on conference committee and carrying out duties as assigned.

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The President Elect shall:

serve in the place of the President with the President’s authority in case of absence or disability of the President.
chair the conference committee that each executive board member is a member of and assign duties deemed as appropriate to board members and oversee the completion of all conference timeline activities. Make necessary arrangements for the annual subdivision conference according to the policies and directions of the Executive Board, prepare a draft of the complete convention program for approval by the conference committee, and present an evaluation and report of the conference at the close of the conference.
work closely with the President and take on delegated or jointly decided responsibilities.
represent KDEC at Kansas Federation CEC meetings.
refer to CEC’s publications for subdivisions.

The Vice-President shall:

serve in the President’s place and with the President’s authority in case of absence of disability of the President and President-Elect.
assume designated responsibilities which will provide training for advancement to the office of President-Elect and President.
serve as the editor of the newsletter and as chairperson of the Publications Committee. Newsletters shall be published in September, January and May.
initiate preparations for the following year’s conference while serving as President-Elect (i.e. book the hotel by Jan. 15th of the preceding year, review and analyze conference planner needs with the President-Elect and the Executive Board).
refer to CEC’s publication for subdivisions.
assist with conference by serving on conference committee and carrying out duties as assigned.

Back to the top

The Secretary shall:

keep a record of all proceedings of the annual business meeting and the meetings of the Executive Board.
keep a record of all correspondence as necessary for the operation of the organization.
be responsible for activities related to amendments to the subdivision constitution and bylaws.
distribute minutes of meetings within three weeks to Executive Board officers and committee chairs.
maintain for reference at each meeting a copy of the KDEC constitution, bylaws, minutes of meetings (2 years previous), and lists of committee members.
transfer minutes and correspondence more than four years old to the historian.
assume other specific duties assigned by the President.
refer to CEC’s publication for subdivisions.
assist with conference by serving on conference committee and carrying out duties assigned.
develop, circulate, and maintain an updated list of officers and committee chairs.

The Treasurer shall:

make an annual report of the financial status of the subdivisions to the Executive Board and membership at the annual business meeting.
prepare and submit an annual budget for approval by the Executive Board prior to the presentation at the annual business meeting.
conduct and maintain records of all financial transactions as directed by the Executive Board.
1. financial transactions as authorized by the Executive Board.
2. copies of vouchers, receipts, bank statements, canceled checks, etc.
3. details of money being handled by other members.
4. receipts of all money received.
5. high-interest yielding accounts.
chair the Finance and Operations Committee.
serve as a member of the Finance and Operations Committee for one additional year.
upon receipt of International CEC reimbursement will verify membership count with Membership Chair.
be bonded prior to initiation and throughout tenure.
communicate budget status to KDEC officers and chairpersons at Executive Board meetings.
complete non-profit tax report as required by the Internal Revenue Service.
assume duties designated by the President.
ensure that the Treasurer’s and President’s names are listed on all financial accounts.
conduct audit of books upon closing of the conference and upon transfer of the books.
contract a professional audit every 3 to 5 years upon recommendation of Executive Board.
refer to CEC’s publication for subdivisions.
assist with conference by serving on conference committee and carrying out duties as assigned.
check to make sure the web domain has been paid.
check to make sure web site charges have been paid on a regular cycle.

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The Membership Chairperson shall:

formulate plans to be approved by the Executive Board for membership maintenance and recruitment.
maintain a written record of the activities conducted to maintain and increase membership.
maintain quarterly records of membership.
serve as a resource for membership information and dissemination of application materials.
develop and function within annual budget for membership cost center.
maintain display board, update as necessary, and investigate opportunities for presentations.

The Historian shall:

maintain the archives of the organization.
compile materials and photographs to record the activities of the current year.

The Student Representative shall:

provide liaison between the student members and the Executive Board.
assist the Membership Chair in recruitment of and service to student members.
plan student directed session(s) at KDEC conference.
assist President-Elect with planning poster session at KDEC conference.

The Finance and Operations Committee shall:

develop the annual budget for recommendation to the Executive Board.
recommend procedures and policies for financial reimbursements, e.g., mileage.
serve in an advisory capacity to the board regarding matters pertaining to budget and finance.
1. budget
2. fund raising
3. membership recruitment
4. review of expenditures

The Children Action Network Committee shall:

develop legislative strategies under direction of the Executive Board.
identify legislative priorities under direction of the Executive Board.
disseminate information pertinent to the national and state legislative programs.
assist with interagency cooperation on legislative issues.
report on committee activities at every board meeting.

The chairperson of the Children Action Network Committee shall serve as the subdivision’s representative to the Federation Governmental Relations Committee and the Kansas Coalition for Children.

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The Publications Committee shall:

be chaired by the Vice President at Newsletter Editor and co-chaired by the Secretary.
consist of at least two other KDEC members appointed by the Vice President.
oversee the distribution of three communications per year to the membership which are to be distributed in September (solicit officer nominations, recommendations and award nomination recommendations and advertise conference), January (conference announcements, advertise conference, on-line registration, and DEC conference update), and May (nominations for awards, conference write up, mini grant proposal announcements, officer election results, award results, republish budgets and minutes from annual meeting). Membership solicitation should be included in all newsletters.
keep KDEC membership/conference attendees mailing list current.
develop and function within annual budget for the newsletter line item.
assist in mailing of any other publications at the direction of the KDEC Board or President.
send copies of the current membership mailing list to other recognized nonprofit professional organizations upon their requests.

FINANCES

All financial accounts for the organization must have two signatures to avoid any problems with inaccessibility to the funds. The Treasurer is responsible for ensuring that the President’s name and signature is on all accounts.

Reimbursement Policies

Reimbursement policies are subject to review on a yearly basis because of fluctuating financial resources and budget decision-making.

Travel of Executive Board members, Committee Chairs, and Representatives to various Committees will be reimbursed at a rate of $0.22 per mile round-trip to attend Board meetings. If an individual has to travel more than 150 miles, KDEC will pay mileage and the cost of a hotel room upon request. Ex-officio members will not have travel expenses reimbursed. Receipts of expenses must be submitted in order to receive reimbursement.

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Networking/Communication

Board Minutes. Any KDEC member may receive Board minutes by submitting a request to the Secretary and providing envelopes and postage or an e-mail address.

Officer Transitions. When new officers join the Board, a transition meeting will be arranged by the President to give outgoing officers the opportunity to orient the new officers to their positions. Mailing List. Nonprofit organizations requesting mailing labels from KDEC will be charged for the cost of the labels. Mailing lists will be free to nonprofit organizations.

Neither mailing lists nor labels will be released to for profit organizations.

Addresses of individuals on the mailing list should be updated following the KDEC spring conference. The Conference Chair (President Elect) will provide the Publications Chair (Vice President) with the names and addresses of conference participants, following the conference.

New Newsletter subscribers’ names should be sent to the Publications Chair (Vice President) and the Conference Chair (President-Elect).

Individuals who have not attended the KDEC Conference for one year, are not DEC members, or have not paid the Newsletter subscription fee ($20.00) will be dropped from the Newsletter mailing list.

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Ad Hoc Constitutional Committee

The Ad Hoc Constitutional Committee is made up of three past Presidents who are residing in the state.

Tied Elections

In the case of a tied election, officers, chairpersons, and committee members will vote by secret ballot to elect the individual for the position. Voting will be done prior to the annual membership meeting.

Advocacy

Any Board member providing legislative testimony or public comment on behalf of KDEC should submit a copy of it to the KDEC Secretary or distribute it to Board members.

Award Selection Procedure

Call for nominations for awards will appear in a fall communication. The deadline for receiving applications will be 30 days prior to the Annual Conference.

The Awards Committee, chaired by the Past President with four additional members representing diverse geographic areas of the state as well as professional disciplines, will evaluate the applications and select the award recipients.

The announcement of award recipients and biographical information will be disseminated to the membership. The awards will be presented during the General Session of the Annual Conference.

The Outstanding Student, Distinguished Service Provider, and KDEC Award of Excellence recipients are forwarded to the Kansas Federation of CEC competition and are due June 30th. The recipient of the state level award is then submitted for International CEC competition and is awarded at their annual conference.

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Outstanding Student CEC/DEC Member

The “Outstanding Student CEC/DEC Member” Award is presented to current full-time student member of CEC/DEC who has contributed a great deal of time, energy and support to their Student CEC Chapter, and to exceptional children and their families.

Criteria to consider when nominating an individual:

Number of years involved in Student CEC.
Number of years involved in Division for Early Childhood.
Experience as an officer or committee chair.
Shows initiative in developing programs and events.
Maintains involvement in Student CEC/DEC activities.
Serves as a positive role model.
Exhibits professionalism.
Encourages membership in CEC/DEC.
Attends meetings, conferences and workshops.
Works with exceptional individuals and their families outside CEC activities, i.e., volunteer activities, summer activities.
Exhibits a sincere commitment to exceptional children, their families, and the field of special education.

Back to the top

Direct Service Provider Award

The “Direct Service Provider” Award is presented to a current CEC/DEC member who has made contributions to exceptional children and their families. The candidate for this award has less than 10 years of experience and provides direct service or related services to young exceptional children and their families. The award honors those who are beginning their career and have made exemplary contributions in their local area.

Criteria to consider when nominating an individual:

Number of years involved in CEC.
Number of years involved in DEC.
Maintains involvement in CEC/DEC/KDEC activities.
Serves as a positive role model.
Exhibits professionalism.
Encourages membership in CEC/DEC.
Works with exceptional children and their families outside of CEC/DEC activities.
Works with local community to promote the awareness level of special programs for young children and their families.
Exhibits a sincere commitment to exceptional children, their families, the field of special education, and their community.

Back to the top

Distinguished Service Provider

The “Distinguished Service Provider” Award is presented to a CEC/DEC member who has made exemplary contributions to KDEC. The candidate must have demonstrated exemplary performance over a period of time as a provider of direct services to children and their families. The nominee should have demonstrated such exemplary qualities as innovativeness, imagination, creativity, and the ability to inspire. Such achievements should be clearly recognized by members of the profession and others knowledgeable of the candidate. The individual must be a CEC/DEC member in good standing both currently and for at least the previous 5 years.

Criteria to consider when nominating an individual:

Membership in CEC/DEC.
Maintains involvement in CEC/DEC/KDEC activities.
Serves as a positive role model.
Exhibits professional leadership.
Encourages membership in CEC/DEC.
Experience serving KDEC in a leadership role.
Ten years or more experience as a service provider.

Awards of Excellence

The “Award of Excellence” honors an individual who has made significant contributions to the development of young children with disabilities and their families. Contributions may be in one or more of the following areas: publications, research, development of new concepts, approaches or programs, new techniques for diagnosis or rehabilitation, improved psychological or education evaluation procedures, improved administrative procedures, practical application of improved teaching devices, and dynamic leadership.

Criteria to consider when nominating an individual:

Ten years experience in Intervention/Special Education in Kansas.
Kansas residence at the time of selection and current CEC/DEC membership.
Statewide visibility.
Influence in the field of Early Intervention/Special Education in the state.
Dedication to CEC/DEC.

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Outstanding Contributor Award

The “Outstanding Contributor” Award honors an individual who has made a significant contribution to Early Intervention/Special Education in Kansas. All CEC/DEC members are eligible for this award, as well as non-members.

Individuals who might be considered for this award are parents, legislators, physicians, educators, or others who have made a significant contribution in any area dealing with the exceptional young children and their families.

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