Since the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), there has been a growing focus on improving the quality of programs for children with disabilities and measuring the results/outcomes of those programs. Across the country, IDEA Part C Programs for Infants and Toddlers and IDEA Part B, Section 619 Preschool Programs have been developing, implementing, and improving their accountability systems, and in spite of significant fiscal limitations, the states have produced meaningful data demonstrating both program improvement and positive outcomes for the children and families being served. This article uses trend data reported by the states over the past 4 years to provide a national picture of the progress they have made, the challenges they have faced, and the improvement strategies they have undertaken. The lessons they have learned are relevant to the broader early childhood community. A discussion about implications for the future is included.

Development of an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) for children receiving Part H services is an integral part of North Carolina's interagency Child Service Coordination Program. Perceptions of the IFSP process were assessed in a statewide survey of child service coordinators. Divergent viewpoints about the usefulness and process of devel-oping the IFSP emerged, depending on the program with which the child service coordinator worked. These findings have implications for training professionals about the IFSP process in the context of strengthening the implementation of interagency, comprehensive service coordination programs.

The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center was charged by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs from October 2001 through September 2006 to develop, implement, and evaluate an approach to technical assistance (TA) that would result in sustainable systems change in state early intervention and preschool special education programs served under the early childhood provisions of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Both process and summative evaluations were conducted over the 5-year contract period. The TA Model for Long-Term Systems Change was found to result in improvements in state and local infrastructures, personnel development systems, practices, and outcomes for children and families. The resulting model is a legacy that Pat Trohanis leaves to the field of technical assistance.

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In 1968 the Handicapped Children's Early Education Program was established through federal legislation to increase and improve services for young children with handicaps and their families through the development of model demonstration projects. This study was conducted to determine areas of innovative practice in the 131 most recently funded projects (1982-1986). The analyses suggested that model services have been developed for new and previously underserved populations. Innovations in intervention emerged in curricula, mainstreaming, and transition services. Most of the interventions had a comprehensive family focus. Other areas of innovation Included: use of technology, interagency coordination, the type of service provider, and training and technical assistance. Innovations were discussed in terms of the challenges presented by P.L. 99-457.