Unraveling Special Ed Speak: A Parent's Guide to IDEA Parts B & C
Welcome to the world of IEPs, LRE, and the maze of terminology that can leave any caregiver confused in the special education journey. As my son enters his second year in the public education system, I've decided to share our experiences to help unravel the complexities we've encountered along the way. Navigating the world of special education starts with understanding the unique language that comes with it. In this post, we aim to demystify the confusing lingo, offering a user-friendly resource for parents like us. If there's anything you're curious about that we haven't covered, feel free to drop your questions in the comments below – because no parent should feel alone in decoding the intricacies of special education!
Table of Contents
Before we jump in, let’s establish a foundational definition. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.
IDEA consists of four primary components, detailed below. This post will delve into the specifics of IDEA Parts B & C.
IDEA Part A: General Provisions (purpose & definitions)
IDEA Part B: Assistance for All Children with Disabilities
IDEA Part C: Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities
IDEA Part D: National Activities to Improve Education of Children with Disabilities
Early Intervention Services Terminology
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Starting at the beginning, Early Intervention Services are services provided through the state to infants and toddlers with disabilities under the age of three. Here are the key terms to understand:
Infants and toddlers with disabilities
Individuals under three years of age who need early intervention services because the individual -
Is experiencing a developmental delay, as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, on one or more of the following areas:
Physical development, including vision and hearing
Has a diagnosed physical or mental condition that has a high probability of resulting in developmental delay. This includes conditions such as chromosomal abnormalities; genetic or congenital disorders; sensory impairments; inborn errors of metabolism; disorders reflecting disturbance of the development of the nervous system; congenital infections; severe attachment disorders; and disorders secondary to exposure to toxic substances, including fetal alcohol syndrome.
This may also include, at a state’s discretion, at-risk infants and toddlers.
At-risk infant or toddler
An individual under 3 years of age who would be at risk of experiencing a substantial developmental delay if early intervention services were not provided to the individual.
Cognitive Development
Changes over time in children’s thinking, reasoning, use of language, problem solving, and learning, and children’s approaches to interaction with their physical and social environments. Cognition includes:
intelligence; arousal, orientation, attention, and executive function
memory; short and long term
information processing functions such as pattern recognition, facial-emotional content, imitation, cause-and-effect associations, processing multiple sources of information simultaneously
representational thought
reasoning and concept formation; problem solving, language, perspective-taking, social context and rules
For children age birth through two, cognitive development involves learning to coordinate sensory input with emerging motor skills, development of object permanence, differentiation of self from others, and emergence of representational thought and symbolic play.
Physical Development, including vision and hearing
Physical developmental delays encompass three categories: physical development, motor development, and developmental motor disorders.
Physical development refers to changes in childhood, including alterations in body structures and functions. Aspects of physical development include:
Gross and fine motor skills
The degree of quality of the child’s motor and sensory development
Health status
Physical skills or limitations
Motor development refers to motor milestones defined as the major developmental tasks of a period that depend on movement by the muscles. Gross motor development involves skills that require coordination of the large muscle groups (e.g. sitting, walking, rolling, standing). Fine motor development is concerned with the coordination of smaller muscles of the body, including the hands and face. Fine motor skills use the small muscles of both the hands and the eyes for performance.
Developmental motor disorders refer to mild to severe abnormalities of muscle tone, movement, and motor skill acquisition. These include global developmental delays, hypotonia, hypertonia, and mild neuromotor dysfunction.
Communication Development
Involves the overall developmental progress in young children in acquiring the ability to comprehend and produce messages that allow them to understand and interact with the social world. Communication development typically progresses from the development of gestural and social pre-linguistic communication to the onset of first words and production and use of language. Children who experience delays in the acquisition of speech and language skills usually follow a typical pattern of development but at a slower rate than children who are not delayed. Marked regression or loss of language can be a sign of a serious underlying medical or neurological problem and may indicate the need for a comprehensive medical, psychological, and audiologic evaluation.
Communication disorders are impairments in the ability to receive, send, process, and comprehend concepts or verbal, non-verbal, and graphic messages. A disorder may be evident in the processes of hearing, language, and/or speech. Individuals may demonstrate one or any combination of these three aspects of communication disorders.
Social-Emotional Development
Progressive change in the way that children relate to their social world and their ability to differentiate and express emotions and perceive emotional states of other individuals. Social development refers to:
Relating to others; the degree and quality of the child's relationships with parents and caregivers
Feelings about self
Social adjustment to a variety of interactions over time
Emotions reflect an individual's attempt or readiness to establish, maintain, or change the relation between him or herself and his or her environment (e.g., a child who overcomes an obstacle to a goal is likely to experience happiness); emotions become more differentiated as infants develop (e.g., crying behavior differs depending on whether the infant is hungry or angry); and, infants' strategies for regulating their emotions change over time (e.g., responses to distress develop from gaze aversion to self-soothing behaviors).
Children who are experiencing disorders or impairment in social-emotional development may exhibit patterns such as inability to form attachment relationships with caregivers, failure to develop joint-attention skills, perseverative behaviors, etc.
Adaptive Development
The development of behaviors and self-help skills that assist children in coping with the natural and social demands of the environment, including sleeping, feeding, mobility, toileting, dressing, and higher-level social interactions. A child who is experiencing delays in adaptive development has difficulty in learning and acquiring these behaviors and skills. Delays in adaptive development may be associated with delays or impairments in other areas of development, including fine and gross motor skills, oral-motor functioning, cognitive development, communication development, and social-emotional development.
Developmental Delay
Under federal regulations, each state establishes its definition of developmental delay, which can apply to children through age 9. While the majority of definitions revolve around a child not reaching developmental milestones, it is important to search for something like “developmental delay definition + [your state]” for specific details. I live in Texas, where developmental delay is defined as having a developmental delay of at least 25 percent in one or more of the following areas of development - social-emotional, self-help, communication, motor functions, or cognitive skills. A delay in expressive language must be 33 percent or more.
Individualized family service plan (IFSP)
A written plan for providing early intervention services to an infant or toddler with a disability and the infant’s or toddler’s family that is based on the evaluation and assessment, and includes:
information about the child’s status
family information
measurable results or measurable outcomes
early intervention services necessary to meet the unique needs of the child and the family
medical or other services that the child or family needs
dates and duration of services
service coordinator
steps and services to support a smooth transition to preschool services
Navigating the world of special education is further complicated by the presence of state-specific acronyms and terminology. In Texas, the Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program addresses the needs of children and their families from birth to age three. Meanwhile, in Illinois and New York, it goes by the name Early Intervention; in California, it's referred to as Early Start, and in Florida, it’s known as Early Steps. While our goal is to develop state-specific resources in the future, for now, it's essential to grasp the foundational terminology outlined in this post. To delve deeper into the nuances specific to your state, we recommend visiting your state’s website.
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Special Education Services Terminology
Special Education
Specially designed instruction, at no cost, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including services such as speech-language pathology, travel training, and vocational education, aimed at ensuring access to the general curriculum and fostering skill development in various settings. This instruction can be conducted in a classroom, in a home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings.
Specially designed instruction: adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the unique needs of the child that result from the child’s disability and to ensure access of the child to the general curriculum, so that the child can meet the educational standards within the jurisdiction of the public agency that apply to all children.
At No Cost: all specially designed instruction is given for free. However, it doesn’t rule out occasional fees that non-disabled students or their parents typically pay as part of the regular education program.
Physical Education: the development of physical and motor fitness, fundamental motor skills and patterns, and skills in aquatics, dance, and individual and group games and sports (including intramural and lifetime sports) and includes special physical education, adapted physical education, movement education, and motor development.
Adapted Physical Education (APE): required for students with disabilities who require specially designed instruction in order to receive Physical Education. Need is determined by the IEP team, and it’s tailored individually to meet the child’s needs. APE is offered in the least restrictive environment, which can be the general PE setting, often with accommodations or aids/specialists.
Travel Training: providing instruction, as appropriate, to children with significant cognitive disabilities, and any other children with disabilities who require this instruction, to enable them to develop an awareness of the environment in which they live and learn the skills necessary to move effectively and safely from place to place within that environment (school, in the home, at work, in the community).
Vocational Education: organized educational programs that are directly related to the preparation of individuals for employment, or for additional preparation for a career not requiring a baccalaureate or advanced degree.
IEP Team
Special Education Services are services provided through the school system to school-aged children and youth (aged 3 - 21).
Special Education Eligibility
IDEA specifics 13 different disability categories for which school aged children and youth may be eligible for services. Those 13 categories are:
Autism
Autism means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences.
The term Autism does not apply if a child’s educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disturbance.
Deaf - Blindness
Deaf-blindness means concomitant (naturally accompanying or associated) hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.
Deafness
Deafness means a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
Emotional Disturbance
Emotional disturbance means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child’s educational performance:
An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.
An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.
Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.
A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.
A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.
Emotional disturbance includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance.
Hearing Impairment
Hearing impairment means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance but that is not included under the definition of deafness in this section.
Intellectual Disability
Intellectual disability means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
Multiple Disabilities
Multiple disabilities means concomitant impairments (such as intellectual disability-blindness or intellectual disability-orthopedic impairment), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments. Multiple disabilities does not include deaf-blindness.
Orthopedic Impairment
Orthopedic impairment means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).
Other Health Impairment
Other health impairment means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that—
Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and
Adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
Specific Learning Disability
Specific learning disability means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.
Disorders not included: Specific learning disability does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of intellectual disability, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.
Speech or Language Impairment
Speech or language impairment means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Traumatic brain injury applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. Traumatic brain injury does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma.
Visual Impairment Including Blindness
Visual impairment including blindness means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.
One important detail we discovered during the process was that if your child’s disability doesn’t fit into one of the 13 defined categories, they will be classified under “other health impairment” rather than their specific disability.
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Individualized Education Plan/Program (IEP)
A written statement for each child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a meeting (typically between school specialists and caregivers) and must include -
A statement of the child’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, including—
How the child’s disability affects the child’s involvement and progress in the general education curriculum (i.e., the same curriculum as for nondisabled children); or
For preschool children, as appropriate, how the disability affects the child’s participation in appropriate activities;
A statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals designed to—
Meet the child’s needs that result from the child’s disability to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum; and
Meet each of the child’s other educational needs that result from the child’s disability;
For children with disabilities who take alternate assessments aligned to alternate academic achievement standards, a description of benchmarks or short-term objectives;
A description of how the child’s progress towards meeting the annual goals will be measured and when periodic reports on the progress the child is making toward meeting the annual goals will be provided;
A statement of the special education and related services and supplementary aids and services, based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable, to be provided to the child, or on behalf of the child, and a statement of the program modifications or supports for school personnel that will be provided to enable the child—
To advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals;
To be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section, and to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and
To be educated and participate with other children with disabilities and nondisabled children in the activities described in this section;
An explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and in the activities;
A statement of any individual appropriate accommodations that are necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional performance of the child on State and districtwide assessments and if the IEP Team determines that the child must take an alternate assessment instead of a particular State or districtwide assessment of student achievement. This must include a statement of why the child cannot participate in the regular assessment and the particular alternate assessment selected is appropriate for the child.
The projected date for the beginning of the services and modifications, and the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of those services and modifications
IEPs also include transition services beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team, and updated annually thereafter. This must include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and where appropriate, independent living skills and the transitions services needed to assist the child in reaching those goals.
Additionally, beginning no later than one year before the child reaches the age of majority under State Law, the IEP must include a statement that the child has been informed of their rights that will transfer to the child on reaching the age of majority.
It’s important to take a moment to define and differentiate an accommodation and a modification as they relate to IEPs:
Accommodation: removing barriers to learning by changing how a student learns or gets their work done. Examples are providing an audio version of a book for a student with dyslexia or taking a test in a quiet room without distractions.
Modification: changes what a student is taught or expected to learn, creating a different standard for the student receiving them. Examples are an easier reading assignment or less homework.
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Special Education Acronyms
The number of acronyms used within special education is wild, and can be quite overwhelming. We’ve compiled as many as we could below and will link to definitions of those that require further explanation.
| ABA | Applied Behavioral Analysis |
| A therapy based on the science of learning and behavior, with the goal of increasing behaviors that are helpful and decreasing behaviors that are harmful or affect learning. | |
| Protects people with disabilities from discrimination. | |
| ADD | Attention Deficit Disorder |
| ADHD | Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder |
| AE | Age Equivalent |
| An evaluation term providing the age at which most people can do a skill or task. | |
| APE | Adaptive Physical Education |
| Specially designed instruction in physical education that has been adapted or modified so that it is as appropriate for the person with a disability as it is for a person without a disability. | |
| ASD | Autism Spectrum Disorder |
| ASL | American Sign Language |
| AT | Assistive Technology |
| Assistive Technology devices are any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of children with disabilities. Assistive Technology services are any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. |
|
| BD | Behavioral Disorder |
| BIC | Behavior Intervention Classroom |
| BIP | Behavior Intervention Plan |
| CAP | Corrective Action Plan |
| CC | Closed Captioning |
| CEC | Council for Exceptional Children |
| The world’s largest professional organization committed to expanding the scholastic achievement of individuals with special needs or circumstances | |
| CEIS | Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services |
| Services provided to students in kindergarten through grade 12 (with a particular emphasis on students in kindergarten through grade three) who are not currently identified as needing special education or related services, but who need additional academic and behavioral supports to succeed in a general education environment | |
| CHADD | Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/ Hyperactive Disorders |
| An organization that provides education, advocacy, and support for individuals with ADHD and their families | |
| CHIP | Children’s Health Insurance Program |
| provides low-cost health coverage to children in families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid. Each state program has its own rules about who qualifies | |
| CP | Cerebral Palsy |
| CPI | Crisis Prevention Intervention |
| CPRC | Community Parent Resource Center |
| Parent training and information centers, operated by local parent organizations, that help ensure underserved parents of children with disabilities, including low-income parents, parents of children who are English learners, and parents with disabilities, have the training and information they need to enable them to participate effectively in helping their children | |
| D-B | Deaf-Blind |
| DD | Developmental Disabilities; Developmental Delay |
| D/HH | Deaf/Hard of Hearing |
| EBP | Evidence-Based Practice(s) |
| Schools are required to use programs, curricula, and practices based on scientifically-based research to the extent practicable (whenever possible, the educational interventions being used must be strongly supported by evidence from well-conducted research studies) | |
| EC | Early Childhood |
| ECSE | Early Childhood Special Education |
| Varies by state, but typically services designed for children aged 3-5 provided through local school districs | |
| EHDI | Early Hearing Detection and Intervention |
| Provide screening, diagnostic and early intervention support at the national, state and local level to young children with hearing loss and their families | |
| EHS | Early Head Start |
| Typically for children from birth to age five, EHS provides family-centered services for low-income families, promoting physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of infants and toddlers | |
| EI | Early Intervention |
| EIS | Early Intervening Services |
| EL | English Learner |
| EL | Early Learning |
| ELL | English Language Learner |
| ELP | Early Language Proficiency |
| Oral language skills that permit effective communication in and comprehension of English | |
| EPSDT | Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment |
| Benefit that provides comprehensive and preventive health care services for children under age 21 who are enrolled in Medicaid | |
| ERIC | Educational Resources Information Center |
| An online library of education research and information, sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education | |
| ESL | English as a Second Language |
| ESY | Extended School Year |
| Special education and related services that are provided to a child with a disability beyond the normal school year, in accordance with the child's IEP, and at no cost to he parents of the child. | |
| FAPE | Free Appropriate Public Education |
| Requires a school district to provide a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE) to each qualified person with a disability who is in the school district’s jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the person’s disability | |
| FBA | Functional Behavioral Assessment |
| Process that identifies a specific behavior that interferes with a student's education helping to identify positive behavior interventions and supports that can be used in school | |
| HHS | Health and Human Services |
| HS | Head Start |
| Head Start programs support children's growth from birth to age 5 through services that support early learning and development, health, and family well-being | |
| IAES | Interim Alternative Educational Setting |
| An educational setting and program other than the student's current placement that enables the student to continue to receive educational services according to his or her IEP | |
| ICO | Informed Clinical Opinion |
| The knowledgeable perceptions of the evaluation team who use qualitative and quantitative information regarding aspects of a child's development that are difficult to measure in order to make a decision about the child's eligibility for early intervention services | |
| ID | Intellectual Disability |
| IDEA | Individuals with Disabilities Education Act |
| IEE | Independent Educational Evaluation |
| An evaluation conducted by a qualified examiner who is not employed by the public agency responsible for the education of the child in question | |
| IEP | Individualized Education Program |
| A written statement for each child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a meeting that includes a statement of the child’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, a statement of measurable annual goals, a description of how the goals will be measured, a statement of services, and more | |
| IEU | Intermediate Educational Unit |
| Any public authority, other than a Local Education Agency, that is under the general supervision of a State educational agency, that is established by State law for the purpose of providing free public education on a regional basis, and that provides special education and related services to children with disabilities within that State | |
| IFSP | Individualized Family Services Plan |
| IHE | Institution of Higher Education |
| Any college or university receiving funding from the Secretary of the Interior under the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Assistance Act of 1978 | |
| ILC | Independent Living Center |
| IQ | Intellectual Quotient |
| A total score derived from a set of standardised tests or subtests designed to assess human intelligence | |
| ISP | Individualized Service Plan |
| Begins when an individual leaves/graduates from high school, picking up where the IEP leaves off and is an important document in adult planning | |
| JJ | Juvenile Justice |
| KEA | Kindergarten Entry Assessment |
| LD | Learning Disability |
| LEP | Limited English Proficiency |
| Individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English | |
| LOF | Letter of Finding |
| LRE | Least Restrictive Environment |
| To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are nondisabled; and separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily. | |
| MCH | Maternal and Child Health |
| MOA | Memorandum of Agreement |
| A written document describing a cooperative relationship between two parties wishing to work together | |
| MOU | Memorandum of Understanding |
| Clearly outlines how parties will work together and define responsibilities and expectations | |
| MTSS | Multi-Tiered System of Support |
| A framework that helps educators provide academic and behavioral strategies for students with various needs | |
| NE | Natural Environment |
| Settings that are natural or typical for a same-aged infant or toddler without a disability, may include the home or community settings | |
| OHI | Other Health Impairment |
| OT | Occupational Therapy |
| OT considers the whole person while focusing on improving the ability to perform essential daily activities. This can include improving fine motor skills, working on positive coping strategies, hand-eye coordination and addressing various other aspects to promote overall well-being | |
| P&A | Protection and Advocacy |
| Network was created by Congress to provide legal representation and other advocacy services to all people with disabilities. There is a P&A agency in every state and territory, the District of Columbia, and one serving the Native American community in the Four Corners Region | |
| PartB | IDEA Part B |
| Program for children age three through 21 | |
| PartC | IDEA Part C |
| Early Intervention Program for children birth through age 2 | |
| PBIS | Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports |
| An evidence-based framework that schools can use to create a safe and positive learning environment for all students. It focuses on identifying, teaching, and reinforcing positive behaviors in students as well as using proactive strategies to address problematic behaviors | |
| PII | Personally Identifiable Information |
| Any data connected to a specific individual that can be used to uncover their identity (full name, social security number, address, etc) | |
| PT | Physical Therapy |
| Helps restore, preserve, or enhance movement and physical function due to illness, injury, or disability utilizing techniques such as therapeutic exercise, massage, electrotherapy, assistive devices, and patient education | |
| PTI | Parent Training Information Center |
| PWN | Prior Written Notice |
| Prior written notice must be provided to parents a reasonable time before the lead agency or an EIS provider proposes, or refuses, to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or placement of their infant or toddler, or the provision of early intervention services to the infant or toddler with a disability and that infant’s or toddler’s family | |
| RBI | Routines-Based Intervention |
| Promoting growth and development by helping families build upon activities they do every day to meet their own needs and support their child's learning | |
| RTI | Response to Intervention |
| SEL | Social Emotional Learning |
| The process through which individuals of all ages learn skills to support helathy development and relationships. Social and emotional learning competencies include self awareness, self management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. | |
| SISP | Specialized Instructional Support Personnel |
| school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists; and other qualified professional personnel, such as school nurses, speech language pathologists, and school librarians, involved in providing assessment, diagnosis, counseling, educational, therapeutic, and other necessary services as part of a comprehensive program to meet student needs | |
| SLD | Specific Learning Disability |
| SLP | Speech-language pathologist |
| Assess and treat people who have speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. They also treat clients who have problems swallowing or feeding | |
| SPOE | System Point of Entry |
| SPOE is the lead agency at the local level and is the first point of contact for families and others wishing to refer a child to early intervention | |
| SSI | Supplemental Security Income |
| Provides monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income or resources | |
| TDD | Telecommunication Device for the Deaf |
| TBI | Traumatic Brain Injury |
| An acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psycho-social impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child's educational performance | |
| UDL | Universal Design for Learning |
| A scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice that — (A) provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged; and (B) reduces barriers in instruction, provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, and maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including students with disabilities and students who are limited English proficient | |
| UFSD | Unified School District |
| USD | Unified School District |
| Both UFSD and USD refer to a school district including both primary school (K-middle) and high school (9-12) under the same district control | |
| VI | Visual Impairment |
| VR | Vocational Rehabilitation |
| A process enabling people with disabilities to overcome barriers to accessing, maintaining, or returning to employment or other useful occupations |
Government & Policy Specific Acronyms
| ACF | Administration for Children and Families |
| ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act |
| APR | Annual Performance Report |
| Evaluates the state's efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of the IDEA and describes how the state will improve its implementation. | |
| ARRA | American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 |
| AYP | Adequate Yearly Progress |
| Defined by the states. They set certain goals for student achievement and measure progress by how well all students perform on state-developed tests. (A function of NCLB) | |
| CAPTA | Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act |
| CCDBG | Child Care Development Block Grant |
| CCDF | Child Care Development Fund |
| CIFMS | Continuous Improvement Focused Monitoring System |
| Monitoring local education agencies on a regular basis to ensure compliance with state and federal laws, rules and regulations that govern the provision of special education and related services to children with disabilities. The purpose of this monitoring is to focus federal, state, and local resources on improved results for children with disabilities. | |
| CPSE | Committee on Preschool Special Education |
| Responsible for evaluating and identifying children (ages 3-4) for disabilities and then arranging for the delivery of special education services. | |
| CSPD | Comprehensive System of Personnel Development |
| A requirement that includes the training of paraprofessionals and primary referral sources | |
| CSSO | Chief State School Officer |
| DMS | Differentiated Monitoring and Support |
| A cyclical monitoring process that focuses on states’ general supervision systems | |
| DOH | Department of Health |
| DOJ | Department of Justice |
| ED | Department of Education |
| ED | Emotional Disturbance **internal link** |
| EDFacts | The ED Facts Initiative |
| EDGAR | Education Department General Administrative Regulations |
| EEOC | Equal Employment Opportunities Commission |
| Prevent and remedy unlawful employment discrimination and advance equal opportunity for all in the workplace | |
| ELC | Early Learning Challenge |
| Aims to improve the quality of early learning and development and close the achievement gap for children with high needs | |
| ESA | Educational Service Agency |
| A regional public multiservice agency authorized by state law to develop, manage, and provide services or programs to local education agencies, such as public-school districts | |
| ESSA | Every Student Succeeds Act |
| The nation’s national education law and longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students | |
| FERPA | Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act |
| FVPSA | Family Violence Prevention and Services Act |
| GEPA | General Education Provisions Act |
| GRADS360 | Ensures States' compliance with IDEA |
| ICC | Interagency Coordinating Council |
| Charged with fostering greater coordination and transparency on child policy across federal agencies | |
| LA | Lead Agency |
| The agency deisgnated by the State's Governor that receives funds to administer the State's role in supervision, monitoring, funding, interagency coordination, and other responsibilities | |
| LEA | Local Educational Agency |
| A public board of education or other public authority legally constituted within a State for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service function for, public elementary schools or secondary schools in a city, county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a State, or for a combination of school districts or counties as are recognized in a State as an administrative agency for its public elementary schools or secondary schools. | |
| LICC | Local Interagency Coordinating Council |
| MCHB | Maternal and Child Health Bureau |
| MFS | Maintenance of State Financial Support |
| States are required to make available at least the same amount of state financial support from one year to the next for the education of children with disabilities | |
| MIECHV | Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program |
| Supports pregnant people and parents with young children who live in communities that face greater risks and barriers to achieving positive maternal and child health outcomes | |
| MOE | Maintenance of Effort |
| Creates funding streams for several programs that address the educational impact of the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | |
| MSIP | Monitoring and State Improvement Planning Division |
| NAEP | National Assessment of Educational Progress |
| A program of the U.S. Department of Education that provides information on state and national student achievement | |
| NASDSE | National Association of State Directors of Special Education |
| NCES | National Center for Education Statistics |
| NCLB | No Child Left Behind |
| The main law for K–12 general education in the United States from 2002–2015 | |
| NIA | Notice Inviting Applications |
| The Department of Education announces open grant competitions by publishing a Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) in the Federal Register | |
| NIMAS | National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard |
| The standard, established by the Secretary of Education, in the preparation of electronic files suitable and used solely for efficient conversion into accessible formats | |
| NPRM | Notice of Proposed Rule Making |
| Periodically, the department issues new or revised regulations to address the implementation and interpretation of the IDEA. Whenever the department proposes new or revised regulations, it publishes a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register and the public has an opportunity to submit written comments. | |
| OAS | Office of the Assistant Secretary |
| OCC | Office of Child Care |
| Supports low-income working families through child care financial assistance and promotes children's learning by improving the quality of early care and education and afterschool programs | |
| OCR | Office for Civil Rights |
| OCR’s mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence through vigorous enforcement of civil rights in our nation’s schools | |
| OCTAE | Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education |
| OD | Office of the Director |
| ODS | Office of the Deputy Secretary |
| OELA | Office of English Language Acquisition |
| OESE | Office of Elementary and Secondary Education |
| OGC | Office of the General Counsel |
| OHS | Office of Head Start |
| Resources for getting young children and their families ready for school and life. | |
| OIG | Office of Inspector General |
| OLCA | Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs |
| OPE | Office of Postsecondary Education |
| OPM | Office of Personnel Management |
| OS | Office of the Secretary |
| OSS | Office of State Support |
| OSEP | Office of Special Education Programs |
| Dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to assist states and local districts | |
| OSERS | Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services |
| PD | Personnel Development |
| PDG | Preschool Development Grants |
| QRIS | Quality Rating and Improvement System |
| A systemic approach to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early and school-age care and education programs | |
| RDA | Results Driven Accountability |
| RSA | Rehabilitation Services Administration |
| Provides leadership and resources to assist agencies providing services to individuals with disabilities to maximize their employment, independence, and integration in the community and the competitive labor market | |
| RTP | Research to Practice Division |
| SAP | State Advisory Panel |
| The State must establish and maintain an advisory panel for the purpose of providing policy guidance with respect to special education and related services for children with disabilities in the State | |
| SEA | State Educational Agency |
| The State board of education or other agency or officer primarily responsible for the State supervision of public elementary schools and secondary schools, or, if there is no such officer or agency, an officer or agency designated by the Governor or by State law | |
| SICC | State Interagency Coordinating Council |
| SIG | School Improvement Grants |
| SIMR | State Identified Measurable Result |
| SISEP | State Implementation & Scaling-up of Evidence-based Practices Center |
| Purpose: to help States establish adequate capacity to carry out effective implementation, organizational change, and systems transformation strategies to maximize the academic achievement and behavioral health outcomes of students statewide. | |
| SLDS | State Longitudinal Data System |
| SPDG | State Personnel Development Grant |
| SPP | State Performance Plan |
| SSIP | State Systemic Improvement Plan |
| A comprehensive, ambitious, yet achievable multi-year plan for improving results for children with disabilities | |
| TA | Technical Assistance |
| The Office of State Support (OSS) provides tailored technical assistance to address specific state needs through individualized support, peer collaborations, and disseminating information and resources based on identified field needs | |
| TA&D | Technical Assistance and Dissemination |
| The purpose of this program is to improve results for children with disabilities by providing technical assistance (TA), supporting model demonstration projects, disseminating useful information, and implementing activities that are supported by scientifically based research | |
| WIOA | Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act |
| Legislation that is designed to strengthen and improve our nation's public workforce system and help get Americans, including youth and those with significant barriers to employment, into high-quality jobs and careers and help employers hire and retain skilled workers |
Post Sources
https://sites.ed.gov/idea
eric.ed.gov
hhs.gov
cdc.gov
ny.gov and nyc.gov
texas.gov
congress.gov
understood.org
