This proposed policy creates uniform expectations for local education agency (LEA) implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements governing the individualized education program (IEP) process. The IEP process requires parents, teachers, LEA personnel, evaluators, and related service providers to pool their collective knowledge and expertise to ensure that students with disabilities are provided a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). As the state education agency (SEA), OSSE expects all LEAs to ensure that all appropriate IEP Team members participate in the IEP process to develop complete and valid IEPs.

The proposed policy [PDF]

The public comment period is for 30 days beginning Friday, August 20, 2010, and concluding Monday, September 20, 2010.

Public hearings for the proposed policy will be held Tuesday, September 7, 2010 and Tuesday, September 16, 2010.   The hearing notice [PDF]

Individuals who wish to submit their comments as part of the official record should do so no later than 5 pm Monday, September 20, 2010 to:

Tameria Lewis, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education

c/o Desirée Brown

Office of the State Superintendent of Education

Division of Special Education

810 1st St. NE - 5th Floor

Washington, DC 20002

or

e-mail to [email protected]