States are required to submit an annual application for Federal funds to the U.S. Dept. of Education (ED) in order to be eligible to receive their IDEA Part B Federal funds.

States must make their FFY 2022 IDEA Part B applications for Federal funds available to the public at least 60 days prior to submission to ED’s Office of Special Education Programs (due by May 27, 2022 ), accept public comment for at least 30 days, review and consider all public comments and make any necessary modifications to the application or policies and procedures, as appropriate. This means applications should be posted to SEA websites by March 28, 2022.

Through these applications, states must make a number of “assurances” regarding compliance with IDEA including assuring FAPE is available to all identified students, services are provided in the least restrictive environment (LRE) to the maximum extent practicable, identifying significant disproportionality and many more! States must also provide information on their maintenance of state financial support. 

Direct links to states’ applications are provided below.

More information about the annual application is available in the following documents:

• ED Memo to states: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/Grants-Part-B-Procedures-for-Receiving-a-FFY-2022-Grant-Award.pdf

• ED Instructions to states: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/Grants-Part-B-FFY-2022-Instructions.pdf

• Application template: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/Grants-Part-B-FFY-2022-Application-Template.docx

STATE APPLICATIONS FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT:

AL: https://www.alabamaachieves.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SPECED_2022321_Proposed-AL-FY2023-IDEA-Part-B-Grant-Application_V1.0.pdf

AK: https://education.alaska.gov/sped

AR: https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/special-education/policy-regulations/state-part-b-application

AZ: https://www.azed.gov/specialeducation/public-notice-info-public-notice-comment-and-hearing-period-ffy-2022-idea-part-b

CA: https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/as/fndapp22.asp

CO: https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped

CT:  http://ct.mypublicnotices.com/PublicNotice.asp?Page=PublicNotice&AdId=5282271

DC: https://osse.dc.gov/release/ffy-22-draft-state-grant-application-under-part-b-idea-open-public-comment

DE: https://www.doe.k12.de.us/Page/2383

FL: http://www.fldoe.org/academics/exceptional-student-edu/

GA: https://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/communications/Pages/PressReleaseDetails.aspx?PressView=default&pid=938

HI: https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/TeachingAndLearning/SpecializedPrograms/SpecialEducation/Pages/home.aspx

IA: https://educateiowa.gov/pk-12/special-education/special-education-public-reporting#IDEA_Part_B_and_Part_C_Annual_State_Applications

ID: https://www.sde.idaho.gov/sped/

IL: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/IDEA-Part-B-Annual-State-Application.aspx

IN: https://www.in.gov/doe/students/special-education/

KS: https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Special-Education-and-Title-Services/Announcements-Special-Education-and-Title-Services

KY: https://education.ky.gov/specialed/excep/IDEA/Pages/Kentucky-IDEA-State-Application.aspx

LA: https://www.louisianabelieves.com/students-with-disabilities/special-education-funding

MA: https://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/osep/idea-partb.html

ME: https://www.maine.gov/doe/doe/learning/specialed/fiscal/ideapublic

MD: https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/programs/Pages/Special-Education/IDEA.aspx

MI: https://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-6598-521556–,00.html

MN: https://education.mn.gov/MDE/dse/sped/fed/index.htm

MO: https://dese.mo.gov/special-education/news-and-updates

MS: https://www.mdek12.org/OSE/IP

MT: https://opi.mt.gov/Educators/School-Climate-Student-Wellness/Special-Education/IDEA-Fiscal

NC: https://ec.ncpublicschools.gov/

ND: https://www.nd.gov/dpi/education-programs/special-education (under Compliance Data and Reports)

NE: https://www.education.ne.gov/sped/

NH: https://www.education.nh.gov/who-we-are/division-of-learner-support/bureau-of-student-support/special-education/forms-guidance-documents-handbooks-reports

NJ: https://www.nj.gov/education/specialed/idea/partb/

NM: https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/special-education/public-notices-state-performance/

NV: https://doe.nv.gov/Inclusive_Education/

NY: http://www.nysed.gov/special-education/annual-state-application-under-part-b-individuals-disabilities-education-act-idea

OH: http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Special-Education/Special-Education-Data-and-Funding/Special-Education-Part-B-Allocations

OK: https://sde.ok.gov/special-education

OR: https://www.oregon.gov/ode/rules-and-policies/Pages/IDEA-Part-B.aspx

PA: https://www.education.pa.gov/K-12/Special%20Education/IDEA/Pages/default.aspx

RI: https://www.ride.ri.gov/StudentsFamilies/SpecialEducation/SpecialEducationRegulations.aspx#32091104-annual-state-application-under-part-b-of-the-idea-2004-for-federal-fy2021

SC: https://ed.sc.gov/districts-schools/special-education-services/fiscal-and-grants-management-fgm/

SD:  https://doe.sd.gov/sped/ 

TX: https://tea.texas.gov/academics/special-student-populations/special-education/programs-and-services/annual-state-application-under-idea-part-b-and-idea-eligibility-documentation

UT: https://www.schools.utah.gov/specialeducation

VA: https://www.doe.virginia.gov/special_ed/grants_funding/idea_part-b/va_application_idea_part-b.shtml

VT: https://education.vermont.gov/student-support/vermont-special-education/recent-guidance-news-and-events

WA: https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/special-education/laws-and-procedures/rulemaking-and-public-comment

WV: https://wvde.us/special-education/finance/annual-state-idea-funding-application/

WY: https://edu.wyoming.gov/downloads/communications/memos/2022/2022-031-Public-Comment-2022-23-Application-for-Part-B-Federal-Special-Education-Funds-PDF.pdf

The U.S. Dept. of Education has released new data on students with disabilities (eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA). Section 618 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that each state annually submit data about the infants and toddlers, birth through age 2, who receive early intervention services under Part C of IDEA, and children with disabilities, ages 3 through 21, who receive special education and related services under Part B of IDEA.

The new data – the first since start of the COVID-19 pandemic – shows the number of eligible children in 2020 remained essentially the same as in 2019, ending a steady stream of significant increases over prior years.

Because of a change in the way schools are to report children with disabilities who are 5 years old, the number of students in the 3-5 age range has declined and the number of “school age students” (formerly students ages 6-21) has increased. Beginning in 2020, schools were required to report 5 year olds in kindergarten as School Age Students with Disabilities. The chart below shows the impact of this change.

The percent of the population served continues to vary significantly across states, ranging from a high of 12.98% in Maine to a low of 6.56% in Hawaii

CHANGES IN DISABILITY CATEGORIES

The distribution across disability categories of School Age Students with Disabilities in 2020 remained largely unchanged, with a slight increase in the number of children in the Developmental Delay category which is frequently assigned to students in the early grades. The Autism category continues to grow while other categories such as Specific learning disabilities and Speech/language impairments continue to decline.

NUMBER OF YOUNG CHILDREN DECLINES SIGNIFICANTLY

While the 3-21 group was unchanged, the number of children served under IDEA Part C saw a significant decline. The number of children (birth through age 2) declined by 63,847 or 15% from 2019 and the percent of population served fell from 3.7% to 3.2%. This decline is quite troubling and could reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on very young children including such things as foregoing regular check-ups which could recognize developmental delays.

The percent of the zero to 3 population receiving early intervention services under IDEA Part C varies significantly across states, ranging from a high of 10.45% in Massachusetts to a low of .82% in Hawaii. All but 3 states (DC, SC, WY) reported drop in percent being served. See this table for change by state.

The section 618 data collection has been migrated to a new (very user- unfriendly) platform – the “Open Data Platform.”

The new release provides data on the following:

· School Year 2019-20 Part B Assessment
· School Year 2020-21 Part B Child Count and Educational Environments
· School Year 2019-20 Part B Discipline
· School Year 2019-20 Part B Dispute Resolution
· School Year 2019-20 Part B Exiting
· Federal Fiscal Year 2019/ School Year 2019-20 Maintenance of Effort Reduction and Coordinated Early Intervening Services
· School Year 2019-20 Part B Personnel
· School Year 2020-21 Part C Child Count and Settings
· School Year 2019-20 Part C Dispute Resolution
· School Year 2019-20 Part C Exiting