OSERS Releases Q&As on Using ARPA Funds to Implement IDEA Requirements

In response to a decrease in referrals of children to early intervention programs, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) released two new Q&As entitled:

• Return to School Roadmap: Child Find, Referral, and Eligibility Under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

• Return to School Roadmap: Provision of Early Intervention Services for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities and their Families under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

These IDEA Part C documents complete OSERS Return to School Roadmap Q&A series.

The documents are intended to demonstrate the Department’s continued commitment to ensuring States have the information necessary to carry out these important requirements and to make good use of the additional American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to ensure the full implementation of IDEA requirements. According to OSERS Acting Assistant Secretary Katherine Neas, "Access to early intervention services is critical for the development and well-being of young children and their families. This guidance is designed to assist states to identify and serve all eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families so they can reach their full potential."