Purpose
Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), called the “Infant and Toddlers with Disabilities Program”, focuses on infant and toddlers (birth to age three) as well as their families. In Section 1431(a) of the IDEA Statute, the following two purposes point to this dual focus:
“Congress finds that there is an urgent and substantial need:
- To enhance the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities, to minimize their potential for developmental delays and to recognize the significant brain development that occurs during the child’s first three years;
- To enhance capacity of families to meet the special needs of their infants and toddlers with disabilities.” When the Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities Program was added to the original education statute in 1986, parents, professionals and advocates worked to ensure that crucial basic themes provided the foundation for the legislation. These themes were:
- Infants and young children are viewed as whole persons whose needs must be met by service strategies that cut across the traditional discipline, programmatic and funding categories and boundaries.
- The development of infants and young children can best be fully appreciated, understood and promoted within the context of the family environment.
- Early intervention is most effective when parents are respected and empowered as consumers and as team members collaborating with professionals.
Part C is NOT intended to be a stand‐alone program serving this population. The intent of Part C is to build interagency partnerships among existing state agencies in health, education, human services and developmental disabilities. Section 1431 (b) of the statute states, “It is the policy of the United States to provide financial assistance to states in order to:
- Develop and implement a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary, interagency system that provides early intervention services for infants and toddlers and their families;
- Facilitate the coordination of payment for early intervention services for Federal, state local and private sources (including public and private insurance coverage);
- Enhance State capacity to provide quality early intervention services and expand and improve existing early intervention services being provided; and
- Encourage states to expand opportunities for children less than 3 years of age who would be at risk of having substantial developmental delay if they did not receive services.”
Performance Measurement Information and Resources
The Department of Education has established a set of performance measures that are designed to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the program. Learn More
Additional Resources for Grantees
The Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs is pleased to provide additional resources to support your work with individuals with disabilities. Learn More
Engage OSEP Site Information
The following resources are presented by the Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to support grantees in collaborating with one another. Learn More
Performance Measurement Information and Resources
The Performance Measurement Description for the Part C Program will be coming soon!
Additional Resources for Grantees
2014-2015 Child Count and Settings Data
2015-2016 Child Count and Settings Data
2016-2017 Child Count and Settings Data
2016-2017 Exiting Data
2017-2018 Child Count and Settings Data
2017-2018 Exiting Data
2018-2019 Child Count and Settings Data
To support States, ECTA Center developed A System Framework for Building High-Quality Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education Programs to address the question: "What does a state need to put into place in order to encourage/support/require local implementation of evidence-based practices that result in positive outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families?"
This information is intended for child care programs that remain open and should be used in conjunction with CDC’s guidance for administrators of child care programs and K-12 schools. This guidance does not supersede applicable federal, state, and local laws and policies for child care programs.
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This document outlines the Child Find Self-Assessment best practices (BPs). This section includes content that is not required by the IDEA but can help Part C programs efficiently and effectively identify, locate, and evaluate infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. To complete the ratings of these items for the Child Find Self-Assessment, please refer to the Excel tool here: www.osep.grads360.org/highlighted-resources
The Child Find Self-Assessment (CFSA) is a voluntary toolkit to help state IDEA Part C programs strengthen their child find systems, with the goal of ensuring children eligible for services are referred and enrolled. The toolkit can be used for monitoring the regulatory components of a comprehensive child find system and to assist with identifying and using best practices for child find.
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has developed this voluntary Child Find Self-Assessment (CFSA) as a tool for State IDEA Part C programs to assess their Child Find system for identifying, locating, and evaluating all infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays. States can utilize the CFSA as a monitoring tool to ensure they have met the regulatory components of a Comprehensive Child Find system, and as an informational tool to assist with implementing best practices for Child Find.
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has developed this voluntary Child Find Self-Assessment (CFSA) as a tool for State IDEA Part C programs to assess their Child Find system for identifying, locating, and evaluating all infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays. States can utilize the CFSA as a monitoring tool to ensure they have met the regulatory components of a Comprehensive Child Find system, and as an informational tool to assist with implementing best practices for Child Find.
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has developed this voluntary Child Find Self-Assessment (CFSA) as a tool for State IDEA Part C programs to assess their Child Find system for identifying, locating, and evaluating all infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays. States can utilize the CFSA as a monitoring tool to ensure they have met the regulatory components of a Comprehensive Child Find system, and as an informational tool to assist with implementing best practices for Child Find.
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has developed this voluntary Child Find Self-Assessment (CFSA) as a tool for State IDEA Part C programs to assess their Child Find system for identifying, locating, and evaluating all infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays. States can utilize the CFSA as a monitoring tool to ensure they have met the regulatory components of a Comprehensive Child Find system, and as an informational tool to assist with implementing best practices for Child Find.
The purpose of our correspondence is threefold. First, we want to remind you of the requirements under Part B of the IDEA to provide special education and related services to eligible preschool-aged children with disabilities. Second, we want to emphasize the importance of ongoing collaboration between the State educational agency (SEA), local educational agencies (LEAs), and their Head Start program partners to effectively meet IDEA requirements and ensure the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE)[3] to children with disabilities. Lastly, our letter provides resources that may be helpful under both Parts B and C of the IDEA as well as Head Start to assist you in implementing high-quality early childhood programs for all children.
The OSEP-funded Early Childhood Technical Assistance (TA) Centers are pleased to announce a variety of new and ongoing opportunities to build individual and state capacity around implementation of IDEA 0-5. We hope this information will assist you as you consider which TA opportunities best fit your needs and priorities.
This joint statement from the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Health and Human Services (HHS) sets a vision for stronger partnerships, collaboration, and coordination between awardees of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C Program.
This fact sheet provides guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to determine, in close consultation with public health authorities, what actions to take to further reduce the potential risk of coronavirus transmission in schools, and should check the CDC website at “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)” (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html) periodically for any updated guidance.
This fact sheet discusses the potential implications of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on State assessment and accountability systems. This fact sheet also addresses other considerations regarding the use of Federal funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA).
The purpose of this guidance is to answer questions that school officials may have had concerning the disclosure of personally identifiable information from students’ education records to outside entities when addressing the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
A national picture of the implementation of Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) of the State submitted 2019 SPP/APRs.
A national picture of the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for the 2019 State submitted SPP/APRs.
The purpose of this enclosure is to inform you about the following provision in the Department of Education's General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) that applies to applicants for new grant awards under Department programs. This provision is Section 427 of GEPA, enacted as part of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (Public Law (P.L.) 103-382).
A listing of terms frequently referenced throughout the work cycle for Part C and Part B, Section 619 Coordinators.
States submit their Grants Application using this template.
States submit their Grant Application following these outlined instructions.
States submit their Grant Application following guidance in this memo.
States submit their Grant Application following using the steps outlined in this checklist.
States submit their Grant Application following using the steps outlined in this checklist.
States submit their Grant Application following using the steps outlined in this checklist.
States submit their Grant Application following using the steps outlined in this checklist.
States submit their Grant Application following using the steps outlined in this checklist.
The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of factors to consider when developing, implementing, and sustaining memoranda of understanding (MOUs)[2] at the State level to create a coordinated approach to service delivery to improve outcomes for young children who are at risk for or have a developmental delay or disability. While this document focuses on IDEA and Head Start programs, States may wish to consider whether MOUs with the relevant early care and education partners may be helpful to provide seamless services to young children with disabilities and their families.
Foundations of Coaching in Early Childhood: Partnering with Parents and Professionals is a video training resource for early childhood coaches, based on the 5 key characteristics of coaching as outlined by Dathan Rush and M'Lisa Shelden. These characteristics can be applied to a number of early childhood settings.
A tool that can be beneficial for new coordinators to provide an overview of what TA is already in place in their state.
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has developed this voluntary Child Find Self-Assessment (CFSA) as a tool for State IDEA Part C programs to assess their Child Find system for identifying, locating, and evaluating all infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays. States can utilize the CFSA as a monitoring tool to ensure they have met the regulatory components of a Comprehensive Child Find system, and as an informational tool to assist with implementing best practices for Child Find.
To support States, NCSI developed the Leading by Convening (LbC) framework to engage stakeholders in improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. Learn more about how to apply these essential habits — coalescing around issues, ensuring relevant participation, and doing the work together — to help achieve state goals.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has funded national TA Centers to support state Part C & Part B 619 agencies and a network of parent centers to provide information and training to families of children with disabilities. The Centers are working to assist states, administrators, programs, and families in enhancing outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families.
States submit their State Performance Plan (SPP)/Annual Performance Report (APR) electronically through the EDFacts Metadata and Process System (EMAPS) following these outlined instructions.
States submit their State Performance Plan (SPP)/Annual Performance Report (APR) electronically through the EDFacts Metadata and Process System (EMAPS) along with attaching this Interagency Coordinating Council Form.
States submit their State Performance Plan (SPP)/Annual Performance Report (APR) electronically through the EDFacts Metadata and Process System (EMAPS) according to calculations as outlined in the Measurement Table.
States submit their State Performance Plan (SPP)/Annual Performance Report (APR) electronically through the EDFacts Metadata and Process System (EMAPS) following guidance in this memo.
States submit their State Performance Plan (SPP)/Annual Performance Report (APR) electronically through the EDFacts Metadata and Process System (EMAPS) following guidance in this memo.
To support States, ECTA Center developed 10 modules to help Part C lead agency staff understand the federal fiscal requirements that accompany the acceptance of Part C funding--to have a working knowledge of the requirements related to IDEA Part C as well as requirements that apply to all federal funding.
Instructions on How to Protect Yourself & Others
President Bush signed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (Public Law 108- 446: IDEA 2004) on December 3, 2004. This law promotes accountability for results, enhances parent involvement, uses proven practices and materials, provides more flexibility, and reduces paperwork burdens for teachers, states and local school districts. Many sections of the new law took effect on July 1, 2005. The regulations took effect on October 13, 2006.
This Questions and Answers document outlines states’ responsibilities to infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities and their families, and to the staff serving these children. During an outbreak of COVID-19, local educational agencies (LEAs) and early intervention service (EIS) programs will need to collaborate with their state educational agency (SEA), Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), or local public health department, as appropriate, to address questions about how, what, and when services should be provided to children with disabilities
States submit their State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) electronically through the EDFacts Metadata and Process System (EMAPS) using this optional 508 compliant template.
The Part C Coordinator has the leadership responsibility for administering the early intervention program in a state so that all federal and state requirements are being met including building a high quality early intervention system. Part C Coordinators are expected to understand federal and state regulations, data and program development to provide leadership in assuring that a comprehensive system of supports and services are in place to support infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. This tool outlines a few tips, strategies, and key questions a new Coordinator should consider as you start your new role.
Summary of 2011 Changes in Federal Regulations for IDEA Part C
Information for States to ensure that school districts continue to provide free and appropriate public education (FAPE) consistent with the need to protect the health and safety of students with disabilities and those individuals providing education, specialized instruction, and related services to these students during the COVID-19 outbreak.
ED's Early Learning newsletter provides monthly updates to subscribers on early learning initiatives led by the Department and our partners across agencies and in the field. The newsletter features important resources for a wide range of stakeholders. In 2017, we debuted a new version of Early Learning, keeping in mind the most critical needs of our readers.
States submit their Child Count and Educational Environments data electronically through the EDFacts Metadata and Process System (EMAPS).
States submit their Part C Grant Application electronically through GRADS360.
States submit their State Performance Plan (SPP)/Annual Performance Report (APR) electronically through the EDFacts Metadata and Process System (EMAPS).
States submit their State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) electronically through the EDFacts Metadata and Process System (EMAPS).
IDEA Statute and Regulations
This resource contains the organizational chart for Department of Education, OSERS and OSEP.
This site provides a listing of States alongside their OSEP assigned MSIP State Lead
Engage
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education has instituted a new strategy to enhance collaboration opportunities with grantees and other stakeholders. This Engage OSEP site will enable OSEP to virtually bring together a variety of stakeholders to share information and to work together to improve results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. This site has been designed to give OSEP staff, grantees, and stakeholders a place to work together to solve complicated issues, facilitate informal knowledge sharing, exchange thoughts and ideas, and share resources, while also providing a place for collaborative creation of new knowledge.
Visit the new Engage OSEP Site at: https://engage.osepideasthatwork.org/