The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
Public Law 108- 446: IDEA 2004
Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004
This site was created to provide a "one-stop shop" for resources related to IDEA and its implementing regulations, released on August 3, 2006. It is a "living" website and will change and grow as resources and information become available. The site will provide searchable versions of IDEA and the regulations, access to cross-referenced content from other laws (e.g., the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), etc.), video clips on selected topics, topic briefs on selected regulations, links to OSEP's Technical Assistance and Dissemination (TA&D) Network and a Q&A Corner where you can submit questions, and a variety of other information sources. As items are completed and added to this site, we invite you to grow and learn with us as we implement these regulations.
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) - Home Page
OSEP issued Q&A documents regarding the implementation of IDEA 2004 regulations.
Question and Answer Documents
- Questions And Answers On Individualized Education Programs (Ieps), Evaluations, And Reevaluations (Revised June 2010)
- Non-Regulatory Guidance on the IDEA Part B Supplemental Regulations Published December 1, 2008
- Questions and Answers On Highly Qualified Teachers Serving Children with Disabilities
- Questions and Answers On Individualized Education Programs (IEP's), Evaluations and Reevaluations
- Questions and Answers On Monitoring, Technical Assistance and Enforcement
- Questions and Answers On Procedural Safeguards and Due Process Procedures For Parents and Children With Disabilities
- Questions and Answers On Response to Intervention (RTI) and Early Intervening Services (EIS)
- Questions and Answers On Serving Children With Disabilities Placed by Their Parents at Private Schools
- Questions and Answers On the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standards (NIMAS)
- Questions and Answers on Discipline Procedures
- Questions and Answers on Disproportionality
- Questions and Answers on Secondary Transition
- Questions and Answers on Transportation
Model Forms
As part of the 2004 reauthorization of the IDEA, Congress included a requirement that:
"Not later than the date that the Secretary publishes final regulations under this title, to implement amendments made by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, the Secretary shall publish and disseminate widely to states, local educational agencies, and parent and community training and information centers."
The model forms are provided below:
Introduction to the IDEA 2004 Model Forms WORD | PDF
Individualized Education Program (IEP) WORD | PDF
Notice of Procedural Safeguards WORD | PDF
Prior Written Notice WORD | PDF
Modified Academic Achievement Standards: Non-Regulatory Guidance (Draft) April 2007
Fact sheet:
Measuring the Achievement of Students with Disabilities: What families and schools need to know about modified academic achievement standards HTML | PDF
Significant Policy Guidance Documents Under Executive Order #13422:
Guidance on Homeless Children with Disabilities.
This Q&A document provides state and local educational officials, early intervention services providers and homeless assistance coordinators with information to assist with implementation of the requirements of the IDEA and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
MS Word | PDF
Other Policy-related Publications and Products:
Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) Under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
OSEP issued this guidance to provide states with information regarding the use of funds provided under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act by local educational agencies (LEAs) to develop and implement coordinated early intervening services (CEIS) for students who are currently not identified as needing special education.
FY 2010 Determination Letters on State Implementation of IDEA
OSERS released state determinations on implementation of the IDEA for Part B and Part C for fiscal year 2006. Under the act, the Education Department is required to issue annual determination letters to each state on their progress in meeting the requirements of the statute.
Secretary's "Tool Kit" Provides Guidance on Assessing Students with Disabilities.
OSEP Policy-related Publications and Letters (Under Section 607 of the IDEA)
These are indexed by title. Please note the following OSEP disclaimer about these documents:
Disclaimer: Letters issued prior to December 3, 2004, may not be consistent with the IDEA, as revised by P.L. 108-446. Letters issued prior to August 14, 2006 may not be consistent with the final regulations for Part B published on that date at 71 Federal Register 46540. Readers are advised to consult with the current statute and final regulations.
OSEP IDEA 2004 Part B Regulations Topic Briefs
On OSEP website, see left side bar and click on topic. Topic Brief for that topic appears at the top of the window.
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has developed a series of 19 topic briefs around several high-interest areas of IDEA. Topic briefs include a summary of all relevant statutory language around that topic, the citations and a cross-reference, when applicable, to other related briefs.
The complete set of OSEP Briefs is located on the IDEA Partnership website at:
The IDEA Partnership has also written Dialogue Guides around the IDEA 2004 Topic Briefs. The Dialogue guides for IDEA 2004 Regulatory provisions are also located on the official OSEP website: Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004
National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) at CAST – Home Page
NIMAS in IDEA 2004
NIMAS Frequently Asked Questions
State Director of Special Education Suggested Responsibilities Regarding NIMAS & NIMAS
OSEP Guidance on NIMAS
IDEA – Reauthorized Statute: National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS)
NIMAS 1.1 HTML download
Federal Register Content (without the spec)
Detailed list of all spec changes to date