LEAD-K stands for Language Equality & Acquisition for Deaf Kids (LEAD-K) This national initiative promotes language equality and acquisition to ensure that Deaf Kids are Kindergarten-Ready.
Utah LEAD-K Committee Goals:
Recommend appropriate assessment tools for deaf and hard of hearing children from 0 – 5 years of age.
Recommend language developmental milestones for deaf and hard of hearing children age 0 – 5 years of age.
Provide input to USD to create a published parent resource outlining these developmental milestones and expressing the need for language acquisition in the early years of life.
Accomplishments:
November 2016: Ad hoc advisory committee created.
January 2017: First LEAD-K committee meeting.
December 2017: Assessments presented to the Advisory Council.
March 2018: Developmental milestones established.
April 2018: Began process for the creation of a brochure.
September 2018: Began work on creating tools in the Utah early intervention system.
January 2019: Brochure finalized.
March 2019: Brochures printed and distributed to doctors and early intervention agencies across the State of Utah.
September 2020: News conference discussing milestones and LEAD-K accomplishments.
