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Special Education Public Reporting

Contact(s)
Courtney Clement
515-971-7687
courtney.clement@iowa.gov
Kate Small
515-418-2570
kate.small@iowa.gov

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Iowa Alternate Assessment Participation Rates

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires states to ensure that the total number of students assessed in each subject using the Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities does not exceed one percent (1%) of the total number of students in tested grades of the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress. The ESSA requires that each district complete and submit justification for exceeding the 1.0 percent cap of students assessed in a subject with the alternate assessment, which are then reviewed by Iowa Department of Education staff.

Percent of students participating in the Iowa Alternate Assessment:

Questions? Contact Jennifer Denne at jennifer.denne@iowa.gov.

IDEA Part B and Part C Section 618 Data

In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as amended in 2004, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) requires public reporting of all data submitted under Section 618. State level data files and supporting documents can be found on OSEP's Open Data Platform.

State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report

In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as amended in 2004, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) requires states to submit an Annual Performance Report (APR) for IDEA Part B and Part C. The APR outlines how the state is improving opportunities and outcomes for students as measured by required compliance and performance indicators.

Final submissions for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2013 through the most recent year available can be found on the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act website. New reports are available each year in June, and the report available at that time will be from two calendar years ago. For example, in June of 2023, the reports for FFY 2021 (2021-22) were finalized and made available.

District and Area Education Agency (AEA) Data Profiles

In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as amended in 2004, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has identified Indicators of performance and compliance for which states are required to annually report to the public the performance of the state, area education agencies (AEAs) and local school districts.

Note: The reports posted below are the most recent available. New reports are available each year in June, and the report available at that time will be from two calendar years ago. Historic data profiles are available by request for:

Part B

Part B - FFY21 (2021-22) Special Education Profiles - District Level

Part B - FFY21 (2021-22) Special Education Profiles - AEA Level

Part C

Part C - FFY21 (2021-22) Early Intervention Regional Profiles - AEA Level (Data not available at district level.) - Regional profiles contain three years of trend data.

FFY22 (2022-23) Data Profiles (Available June 2024)

IDEA Differentiated Accountability (IDEA-DA)

Development of a differentiated accountability (DA) model for the implementation of IDEA (the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) began in 2016. Representatives from school districts, AEAs (area education agencies), and the Iowa Department of Education formed a task team to identify components of what would become an Implementation Support Rubric. Initial implementation of the rubric focused on a compliance indicator. After additional task team work and frequent input from the AEA directors of special education, the full IDEA-DA Support Rubric was finalized and implemented beginning in 2022-23.

Overview of Iowa's IDEA-DA Process and Model - Recorded 10-21-22. Presentation Slides

District support levels are given on a three-year cycle, to align with the timing of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act designations. The current support levels can be found under the IDEA Part B and Part C Determinations section of this webpage.

Overview of District Data and Support Levels for IDEA-DA - Recorded 12-2-22. Presentation Slides

IDEA-DA Data Elements Guide - Shows the conceptual areas of the Implementation Rubric, the data elements that make up each area, and the weight of the element in the overall model.

IDEA Part B and Part C Annual Determinations

In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as amended in 2004, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) requires the Iowa Department of Education to make an annual determination for each school district and area education agency (AEA) regarding compliance with, and implementation of, IDEA Part B and IDEA Part C requirements. The Director of Special Education, administrative consultants, and the compliance monitoring team work together in a collaborative effort to make these determinations.

A district or AEA may fall into one of four categories: meets requirements, needs assistance, needs intervention, or needs substantial intervention. Determination categories are not necessarily linear or sequential. A district or AEA may be placed in any of the four determination categories at any time. Explanatory documents posted below explain this process in more detail.

FFY 2022 (2022-23) Determinations (available November 2023)

Part B

IDEA Part B Determinations Criteria

Part B - FFY21 (2021-2022) Annual Determinations - District Level

Part B - FFY20 (2020-2021) Annual Determinations - District Level

Part B and Part C - FFY19 (2019-20) Annual Determinations - AEA Level

Part C

IDEA Part C Determinations Criteria

Part C - FFY21 (2021-22) Annual Determinations - AEA Level

IDEA Part B Annual Disproportionality Determinations

Significant Disproportionality - Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) and IDEA Part B Indicator B4B, Indicator B9

Under IDEA section 618(d) (20 U.S.C. 1418(d)) and §300.646, States are required to annually collect and examine data to determine whether significant disproportionality based on race or ethnicity is occurring in the State and in Local Education Agencies (school districts) with respect to the identification of children as children with disabilities; the placement of children in particular educational settings; and the incidence, duration, and type of disciplinary actions, including suspensions and expulsions. In the case of a determination of significant disproportionality, the State must require any district identified as having significant disproportionality in any of the above-mentioned analysis categories to reserve the maximum amount of funds for comprehensive CEIS.

This requirement is different from the requirement to determine disproportionate representation based on inappropriate discipline, Indicator B4, and inappropriate identification, Indicator B9, that are reported in the IDEA Part B Annual Performance Report (APR). One important difference is that the determination of significant disproportionality for CEIS is a data only decision. A review of policies, practices and procedures is a requirement of districts identified as having disproportionate representation, but the review does not impact the determination. In contrast, determinations of disproportionality with respect to Indicator B4 and Indicator B9 are made after a review of policies, practices and procedures that was triggered by a review of data. A district may have data that indicate disproportionate representation, but a review of policies, practices and procedures may prove otherwise. In this case, the district would not be identified for disproportionate representation.

Explanatory Documents

Criteria for Determination of Significant Disproportionality

Explanation of Simple Risk Ratio

Identification Data, Difference Between CEIS and Indicator B9

Removal Data, Difference Between CEIS and Indicator B4

Data and Disproportionality Determinations

2020-21 School Year

2021-22 School Year

2022-23 School Year (Available November 2023)

IDEA Part B and Part C Annual State Applications

In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as amended in 2004, states are required to annually submit eligibility documents to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). The plans submitted to OSEP reflect the cooperative efforts of the Department of Education and other agencies to provide a full educational program and related services to all children and youth with disabilities requiring such programs and/or services. The documents include the information required by the U. S. Department of Education for Iowa to continue to receive funding under the provisions of the IDEA Part B and Part C. The documents contain a submission statement, assurances, and a description of use of funds for educational services available for children and youth with disabilities in the State of Iowa. The documents are submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, each year in May.

Approved State Applications

Part B

Iowa's FFY 2022 Approved Application for Part B Funds

Iowa's FFY 2021 Approved Application for Part B Funds

Contact John Lee at john.lee@iowa.gov to request a copy of historic applications.

Part C

FFY23 Approved Iowa Application for Part C Funds

FFY22 Approved Iowa Application for Part C Funds

Contact Kimberly Villotti at kimberly.villotti@iowa.gov to request a copy of historic applications.

Proposed State Applications

Proposed state applications for FY24 will be available Spring 2024.