School officials eye infants, toddlers with disabilities

District officials are trying to help parents recognize the signs of autism in children as young as infants, saying delayed diagnoses cause a frustrating bottleneck in the city’s public schools. The city hopes that increased awareness of what developmental delays look and sound like in young children will increase the graduation rate, combat delinquent behaviors, drive up test scores, and “reduce the special education pipeline,” said Deputy Mayor for Education De’Shawn Wright.

The D.C. Early Intervention Program is not new: parents already can reach out for free screenings and, in some cases, financial support for services proscribed.