IDEA
Also: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
The federal law that guarantees students with disabilities a free appropriate public education and governs how IEPs are written and delivered.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal statute, most recently reauthorized in 2004, that governs special education in the United States. It guarantees eligible students a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE), and it spells out the procedures schools must follow to identify, evaluate, and serve students with disabilities.
IDEA is organized into parts. Part B covers school-age services (ages 3–21) and is what most K-12 special educators work under daily. Part C covers early intervention (birth to age 3). The statute defines 13 eligibility categories including specific learning disability, autism, speech or language impairment, emotional disturbance, and intellectual disability.
IDEA is enforced by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). States, districts, and individual families can hold schools accountable through complaint procedures, due process hearings, and lawsuits.
Related terms
- IEPA legally binding written plan for a student with a disability that spells out the specialized instruction and services the school will provide.
- FAPEA student's right under IDEA to receive a Free Appropriate Public Education tailored to their individual needs at no cost to the family.
- LREIDEA's requirement that students with disabilities be educated with non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate.
- 504 PlanA civil-rights plan under Section 504 that provides accommodations for a student whose disability substantially limits a major life activity.
Managing IDEA day-to-day?
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