Family Scholarship Application 2026

Family Scholarship Application 2026
Name*

First NameLast Name
Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Phone Number*

Area CodePhone Number
E-mail*
Are you presenting as a family member or a professional at DEC 2026? (select all that apply)*
Age of child/children with disability*
Age of child/children with disability*
Tell us about your family, including your child(ren) with disabilities (including their age), and your experiences with early intervention, early childhood special education, and/or other related services.*
Tell us about any experience you have sharing your story and advocating for your child and/or other children. *
If awarded the $750 scholarship, will this be sufficient to cover your expenses related to conference attendance? If not, what other financial supports do you have access to (i.e., organizational funding, employer funding, personal funding)?

Please list your estimated costs for attendance.

Please note that if you have a child, age birth to 8 with a developmental delay or disability, your registration will be waived.

Conference Toolkit
Estimated travel costs:*
Estimated lodging costs:*
Estimated meal costs:*
Estimated childcare costs:*
How would attending this year’s DEC Conference benefit you as a family member of a young child with a disability?*
How do you plan on using this information to benefit others outside of your family (i.e., families, other organizations you belong to, or work for/with etc.)?*

Tell us about your involvement or interest to be involved in any local, state, or national organizations, boards, councils, committees, etc., related to early childhood education and disability studies as well as any family leadership trainings you’ve participated in.*
If you are selected to receive a family scholarship, you would be required to provide verification of attendance (e.g., confirmation of flight and hotel) no later than July 10, 2026. Can you commit to providing evidence by this date?*
YesNo
How many days of the conference can you attend? Conference Dates: October 26-29*
YesNoMaybe
Are you currently a member of CEC/DEC?*
How did you hear about this opportunity?*
How many days of the conference can you attend? Conference Dates: October 26-29*
How do you plan on using this information to benefit others outside of your family (e.g., families, other organizations you belong to, etc.)?*
Are you currently employed with an early intervention or early childhood special education program, or another related service area? [Yes/No] If so, please list.*
Tell us about your involvement in any local, state, or national organizations, boards, councils, committees, etc., as well as any family leadership trainings you’ve participated in.*
Are there any topics or areas you are particularly interested in as far as conference sessions (racial equity, mental health, IEPs/IFSPs, specific teaching models, specific age groups, specific disabilities, recommended practices, etc.)? Are there any you would prefer to avoid?*
Opportunities to contribute to a session may start as early as the proposal stage, though many presenters are open to family participation at any point in the development of their sessions. Are you interested in partnering with someone during the proposal stage for a session that may not happen, or would you prefer to start working on a session after it has been accepted for an upcoming conference?*
If you are selected to receive a family scholarship, you would be required to provide verification of attendance (e.g., confirmation of flight and hotel) no later than August 9, 2025. Can you commit to providing evidence by this date?*
Family scholarship recipients will be paired with a mentor from the DEC Family Committee to support their active participation at the conference, answer questions, etc. Are you interested in being paired with a mentor for this year's conference?*
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