Most States Fall Short In Special Ed, Feds Say
The US Department of Education said its latest assessments found that most states are not meeting their responsibilities under IDEA. (Shutterstock)
Most states have failed to meet their obligations to serve students with disabilities for several years in a row, a new audit shows.
Only 22 states met the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requirements to serve students with disabilities ages 3-21 during the 2021-2022 school year.
Meanwhile, the remaining states were designated as “needs assistance,” with 22 states and Washington, DC earning that label two or more years in a row. No status was assigned to the minor categories of “needs intervention” or “needs substantial intervention.”
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Under IDEA, the US Department of Education is required to annually assess each state’s performance in providing special education services and assign them to one of four categories. The ratings take into account both the state’s compliance with the law and outcomes for children with disabilities and their families, officials said.
If states do not meet the “compliant” threshold for two years or more, the Department of Education must take compliance action, which may include requiring the state to access technical assistance or direct funds to areas deemed inadequate, among other things.
States that achieved the “meets” designation in the latest report include Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania , Rhode Island, South Dakota, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Separately, the Department of Education said 24 states were deemed “eligible” to serve infants and toddlers with disabilities up to age 2. Two states were designated as “needs intervention” and the rest were placed in the “needs assistance” category for the smallest. age group.
The Education Department said it will release more details on each state’s performance next month.
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