This bill establishes an early childhood IDEA services task force in Rhode Island, aimed at improving access to high-quality early intervention and special education services for children with developmental delays and disabilities from birth to kindergarten entry. The task force will be co-chaired by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, the secretary of the executive office of health and human services, and representatives from the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Parents Leading for Educational Equity, and Rhode Island Kids Count.

The task force will include additional members such as parents of affected children, executive directors from relevant organizations, and leaders from early childhood education programs. It is tasked with developing recommendations and strategies to address staffing challenges, improve service delivery, and ensure equitable access to services, particularly for historically marginalized populations.

To support the work of the task force, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services is directed to seek $250,000 in federal funding. The task force will convene within 30 days of securing this funding and will operate for 18 months, during which it will gather input from stakeholders and submit interim and final reports with recommendations for stabilizing and enhancing early childhood IDEA services. The interim report is due within 12 months, and the final report is due within 18 months, both of which will include strategies for timely identification, evaluation, and delivery of high-quality IDEA services.