Referral Process

Eligibility for Special Education and Related Services
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) identifies the categories of disabilities that states must serve. The statute requires that ALL eligible children and youth be identified and provided appropriate services; a multidisciplinary team (the IEP team) develops an Individualized Education Program (IEP). To be determined eligible, a child must:

(1) be determined to be a child with a disability; and

(2) be determined to need special education and related services in order to make progress in the general education curriculum.

The delivery of an individualized education program to an eligible student is determined to constitute a free and appropriate public education or “FAPE.

What is the IDEA?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is our nation’s special education law. The IDEA was originally enacted by Congress in 1975 to make sure that children with disabilities had the opportunity to receive a free and appropriate public education. The law has been revised many times. We are currently under the 1997 re-authorization, and as of July 1, 2005 we will be under the most recent re-authorization enacted in December 2004.
The IDEA guides how states and school districts provide special education and related services to eligible children with disabilities. The State education agency is charged with full implementation and enforcement of the federal mandate.