How does your State Rank in Special Education?
States and territories are ranked annually on how well they implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) released the annual IDEA state determinations for Parts B and C. The IDEA requires the Department of Education to issue an annual determination based on a State Performance Plan (SPP) or Annual Performance Report (APR) that evaluates the state’s efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of Parts B and C of the IDEA. It also requires states to describe how they will improve its implementation.
What are Parts B and C Determinations?
Part B Determinations list state performance for students with disabilities ages 3 to 21. Part C Determinations lists state performance for infants and toddlers from birth to 2 years old. States are evaluated based on many different factors including student performance, outcomes of students with disabilities, and fulfilling IDEA’s procedural requirements. The 2022 determinations are based on performance for the fiscal year 2020. Each state is assigned one of the following ratings:
- Meets the requirements and purposes of the IDEA
- Needs assistance in implementing the requirements of IDEA
- Needs intervention in implementing the requirements of IDEA
- Needs substantial intervention in implementing the requirements of IDEA
Part B Met Requirements
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
Part B Needs Assistance (for the First Year)
- North Dakota
- Tennessee
- Utah
Part B Needs Assistance (for Two or More Consecutive Years)
- Alabama
- Alaska
- American Samoa
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Bureau of Indian Education
- California
- Colorado
- Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Idaho
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Puerto Rico
- Republic of Palau
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virgin Islands
- Washington
- West Virginia
Needs Substantial Intervention
No states received a determination of needs substantial intervention for children age 3 to 21.
Part C Met Requirements
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Part C Needs Assistance (for the First Year)
- Alabama
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Michigan
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Utah
- Vermont
Part C Needs Assistance (for Two or More Consecutive Years)
- American Samoa
- Arkansas
- California
- Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
- Florida
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Illinois
- Louisiana
- Missouri
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New Jersey
- Puerto Rico
- South Carolina
- Virgin Islands
Part C Needs Substantial Intervention
No states Need an Intervention for infants and toddlers from birth to 2 years old.
Summary
The IDEA identifies technical assistance or enforcement actions for states that aren’t determined to meet requirements. The Department of Education requires states to access technical assistance, designate the state as a high-risk grantee, or direct the state to use state set-aside funds to the specific area that the state needs help with for states that need assistance for two or more consecutive years. The Department of Education is required to take one or more enforcement actions including requiring a corrective action plan or compliance agreement or withholding further payments to the states for states that need intervention for three or more consecutive years. The Department of Education is required to take immediate enforcement action such as withholding funds or referring the matter to the Department of Education’s inspector general or to the Department of Justice for any states that need substantial intervention.
