USD Program for Advancing Childhood Early Intervention

CPCM is hosting "BabyReady in South Dkota: How Enhanced Medicaid Prenatal Care Delivers Better Beginnings" as a part of the SD Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Collaborative. The webinar takes place February 10, 2026, at 12:00P. Find registration info here:

BabyReady in South Dakota: How Enhanced Medicaid Prenatal Care Delivers Better Beginnings What is a touchpoint? A child's brain undergoes rapid development during the first three years of life, making this period crucial for their overall growth. Each new brain connection formed during this time has been referred to as a "touchpoint," which is why we named our informational webinar serie...

We're still looking for parents and guardians willing to share their thoughts about child development in a short, anonymous, online survey. Survey respondents must be 18 years old, read English fluently, and a parent or guardian of a 0–6-year-old child. Feel free to share this social media post with anyone you know who meets this criteria!

Your input will help us better understand how culture, community, and personal beliefs influence child development. It takes just 7-10 minutes, and your voice truly matters!

Find the survey using this link or the QR code in the attached image: https://southdakota.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9ThgM5VTFNMtsq2

Please feel free to share with others you know who fit our study criteria! This survey closes October 1, 2025.

Thanks for helping us with our study!

Make plans to attend South Dakota's Children's Day at the Capitol, January 21, 2026!

For more information:

Children's Day at the Capitol Investing in children, empowering healthy communities. Make plans to join us for the Children's Day at the Capitol! Annually, organizations with an interest in bettering the lives of children and families will gather during the legislative session to inform the public, lawmakers, government staff an...

Center for Prevention of Child Maltreatment has shares this online training opportunity for January 28, 2026 (12-1p):

Child and Family Services Review: Program Improvement Planning.
Training Link:

Child and Family Services Review: Program Improvement Planning Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) are a joint federal-state initiative led by the Children’s Bureau to assess and improve state child welfare systems. These reviews evaluate how well states ensure safety, permanency, and well-being for children, as well as how effectively systems function....

Growing Together: A Master Class in Child Development
JANUARY 2, 2026

Please consider and share the attached opportunity to engage in a masterclass and learning community around early childhood development and reflective practice led by Drs. Jennifer Kampmann and Andy Stremmel. There is no cost to participate, but we have limited space so are requesting applications due Jan. 2, 2026.

Learn more here:

Growing Together: A Master Class in Child Development Professional Inquiry For all who work with and care for young children — early educators, human service professionals, health care providers, early intervention specialists, and parents. Growing Together is an eight-week, online master class designed to deepen professional understanding of child development through ex...

Happy holidays, USD-i PACE friends!

Home for the Holidays | 2025 USD Holiday Card Winter weather may be unpredictable, but Coyote spirit isn’t. Happy Holidays from your USD community.

Welcome, 2025 PACE-i Scholars!

We’re thrilled to welcome our newest cohort of PACE-i Scholars to a program rooted in purpose, equity, and impact. At usd.edu/PACE-I, we’re committed to preparing practice-ready, evidence-informed early interventionists.

Together, we’ll build a future where every child, regardless of geography, language, ability, or background, has access to high-quality early intervention. Through strong clinical partnerships and a shared dedication to underserved areas, our scholars are stepping into a transformative journey of learning, advocacy, and service.

Here’s to your growth, your persistence, and the powerful difference you’re about to make. Welcome to the PACE-i family!

Check out this great story featuring the Go Baby Go project and the role our students played in helping kids experience mobility and connection in a fun, meaningful way.
It’s a great example of collaboration and creativity in action:
https://pigeon605.com/go-baby-go-powered-by.../
Quotes from the participating students:
"It was such a joy seeing the kids light up. Seeing a little girl clap out of excitement is something I won’t soon forget." -Tess Zevenbergen, USDPT Class of 2026
"I wanted to be a part of this project after I saw the photos and videos from last year's event! It looks like such an amazing opportunity to provide adaptive mobility to kiddos so they can be like their peers." -Madi Sundvold, USDPT Class of 2026
"I have always been passionate about working with the pediatric population, but I have recently discovered a deeper passion in helping children with developmental disabilities and advocating for inclusivity. This program is a unique opportunity to be a part of and will help me learn important skills I will need to possess as a pediatric physical therapist." -Taylor Eggers, USDPT Class of 2026
"I wanted to be part of today’s Go Baby Go Build Day because it brings together everything I love about physical therapy: creativity, collaboration, and making movement fun." -Kendra Jensen, USDPT Class of 2026
"I was very excited to be a part of it as it combines my passion for inclusive care by helping kids with mobility challenges gain independence, connect with their peers, and experience play in a more engaging way!" -Grace Schuch, USDPT Class of 2026

Go Baby Go: Powered by collaboration, driven by determination - Pigeon605 Special kids, dedicated teams and a little motorized magic: With that, it's "Go Baby Go."

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has just unveiled a powerful new Fast Fact exploring how students with disabilities, ages 14–21, complete their educational journeys.

This marks the first time OSEP has focused exclusively on exiting school outcomes - graduation, dropout, aging out, and more. The data offers a compelling national snapshot from the 2022–23 school year, shining light on real progress and ongoing challenges.

Highlights include:
• 75.85% of students with disabilities graduated with a regular high school diploma
• 13.9% dropped out
• 8.4% graduated with a certificate
• 8 states reported students graduating with a state-defined alternate diploma (per ESSA guidelines)

These insights, drawn from IDEA Section 618 Part B Exiting Data, help families, educators, and advocates better understand how to support successful transitions and life readiness for youth with disabilities.

Check out the full Fast Fact and data visualizations here: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/osep-fast-facts-final-exiting-fast-fact-2025

Let’s keep working toward a future where every student is equipped to thrive beyond the classroom!

OSEP Fast Facts: Part B Exiting School - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act This Fast Fact is focused on how students with disabilities (SWDs) ages 14 through 21 exited school.

Hello! We’re looking for parents and guardians willing to share their thoughts about child development in a short, anonymous, online survey. Survey respondents must be 18 years old, read English fluently, and a parent or guardian of a 0–6-year-old child.

Your input will help us better understand how culture, community, and personal beliefs influence child development. It takes just 7-10 minutes, and your voice truly matters!

Feel free to share this social media post with anyone you know who meets this criteria!

Find the survey using this link or the QR code in the attached image: https://southdakota.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9ThgM5VTFNMtsq2

Thanks for helping us with our study!

Mark your calendars for the 2025 SD Early Intervention Conference on August 12 at Mitchell Technical Institute in Mitchell, South Dakota!

This year’s theme is "Bloom Where You’re Planted" ... celebrating the impact of early intervention professionals who help children and families thrive, right where they are.

Registration is now open at eic25.com
Learn more, view the agenda, and reserve your spot today!

In mid-May, members of the 2024-2026 PACE-i Scholars cohort wrapped up their inaugural year in the Program for Advancing Childhood Early Intervention.

As part of their year-end capstone, each scholar presented a case-based research poster highlighting real-world challenges and opportunities in early intervention. These thoughtful projects reflect their growth, curiosity, and commitment to improving care for young children and families.

Provided in this post are thumbnails of their posters, each featuring a QR code that links to a brief video presentation by the scholar.

We’re proud to share a glimpse of the important work these future leaders are doing, and we're excited for what’s ahead in year two.