Overview
The Early Childhood Research Institute on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) has been a federally-funded collaborative effort of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, The Council for Exceptional Children, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education, and the ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education. The CLAS Institute was funded by the Office of Special Education Programs of the U.S. Department of Education between 1997 and 2002.  Since then, the Early Childhood and Parenting Collaborative at the University of Illinois has maintained the web  site.  New materials will be added in 2010 and older materials that are out of date will be deleted.

The CLAS Institute identifies, evaluates, and promotes effective and appropriate early intervention practices and preschool practices that are sensitive and respectful to children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. CLAS has several basic assumptions which define and guide its work. CLAS’ goals are outlined below, as well as some of the issues and concerns important to our work.