2026 Call for Nominations for the Jane Scandary Award

Michigan Division for Early Childhood (MiDEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children is excited to announce the 2026 Call for Nominations for the Jane Scandary Award for Excellence in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education. Individuals or organizations may make nominations. Consider who you know that you feel is deserving of recognition for his or her contributions and accomplishments. Now is the time to nominate that person for this prestigious award!

See the Awards tab of this website for additional information and to download a Nomination Form. Nomination deadline is October 30, 2026.

Hungry for More Michigan DEC Lunch Bytes Webinars?

We've got you covered!

Michigan DEC has an outstanding menu of Lunch Bytes Webinars to offer in the 2026-2027 school year! Check out this smorgasbord of engaging and insightful topics you're sure to devour:

October 2, 2026: Bridging Policy to Practice: Navigating Michigan’s Early Childhood Budget, Federal Regulatory Shifts, and System Alignment

November 20, 2026: Bridging the Gap - Transitioning from Early On to Inclusive Preschool

January 29, 2027: Who’s at the Table? Building Stronger Teams Around Every Child

March 19, 2027: Inclusive Learning in Real Life: Everyday Strategies to Support Young Children with Diverse Needs

May 7, 2027: Senses in Motion: Growing, Calming, and Learning Together

All Lunch Bytes webinars will be held from 11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.

Can't attend live? No worries! Your registration fee allows you to view the recording after the session is over.

2025 MiDEC Conference Event Summary

"The keynote was a great presentation; very engaging and a nice change in topic looking at how we care for ourselves yet I appreciated that it was so different than typical self care talks :)"

"What was most useful and made the biggest impact was the opportunity to attend break out sessions that allowed me to dig deeper into topics that will improve my craft or give me the kick start needed to take the dive into starting something new with my team."

"This was a wonderful presentation and I took so much from it! It was organized well, felt quick (very engaging for being 2.5 hrs!!!) and I took so many things from it that I will use immediately. Wonderful job!"

2025 MiDEC Conference Event Summary (PDF)

Thank You to Our 2025 MiDEC Conference Sponsors & Exhibitors

We extend our sincere appreciation to the sponsors and exhibitors who supported the 2025 MiDEC Conference. Your commitment to early childhood professionals, young children with disabilities, and their families helps strengthen our collective work across Michigan.

Thank you for investing in our community and making this year’s conference possible.

Want to Join MiDEC?

We are looking for members who are excited about making a difference in the lives of young children with disabilities in Michigan!

To join DEC, you must first be a member of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). When you join CEC, be sure to add the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) to your membership.

Benefits of membership include:

Excellent research and practitioner journals on evidence-based practices for young children with delays and disabilities.
Updates on public policy initiatives that impact young children with disabilities and their families.
Opportunities for advocacy on behalf of young children with disabilities and their families.
Professional development opportunities.
A network of professionals, parents, and community members who are passionate about enhancing the growth and development of young children with delays and disabilities.