Iowa’s Special Education Eligibility Standards Have Been Rescinded

As soon as possible, please read the letter (click here) from Dr. Martin Ikeda, Chief of the Bureau of Student and Family Support Services, Iowa Department of Education, notifying AEAs that Iowa’s Special Education Eligibility Standards (2006) have been rescinded, effective immediately. The letter contains very important information about why the standards have been rescinded at this time. The Iowa Department of Education has been and will continue working on new mandatory standards.

In the short-term, this action does not change AEA staff members’ daily work, nor the procedures you are to follow in making special education entitlement decisions. The letter from Dr. Ikeda clearly states that, “...teams making eligibility decisions shall be required to follow rules on whether, when, and how to evaluate a child who has or is suspected of having a disability, including the requirement that teams consider data concerning progress, discrepancy, and need. See generally Iowa Admin. Code rules. 281—41.111, 41.300 to 41.313.”

In other words, the Area Education Agency Special Education Procedures remain in effect to guide practice. If you have any questions, please contact Grace Bargstadt, Director of Special Education, at gbargstadt@aea11.k12.ia.us.