2020 IDEA SPP/APR Determinations Fact Sheet
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View PDF2020 IDEA SPP/APR Determinations Fact Sheet
U.S. D EPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
2020 D ETERMINATION L ETTERS ON
S TAT E IMPLEMENTATION OF
IDEA
REVISED NOVEMBER 25, 2020
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
released S tate determinations on implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA) for Part B and Part C for fiscal year 201 8. The 2004 Amendments to the IDEA
require each State to develop a State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report
(APR) that evaluates the State’s efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of the
IDEA, and describes how the State will improve its implementation. The Part B SPP/ APR and
Part C SPP/APR include Indicators that measure child and family results, and other indicators
that measure compliance with the requirements of the IDEA. Since 2015, the Part B SPP/APR
and Part C SPP/ APR have include d a State Systemic Improvement Plan through which each
State focuses its efforts on improving a State-selected child or family outcome.
The IDEA also requires each State to report annually to the Secretary on its performance under
the SPP. Specifically, the State must report in its APR, the progress it has made in meeting the
measurable and rigorous targets established in its SPP. The Secretary is required to issue an
annual determination to each S tate on its progress in meeting the requirements of the statute.
The determinations are part of the ongoing efforts to improve e ducation for America’s 7.5 million
children with disabilities .
IDEA details four categories for the Secretary’s determinations. A State’s determination may be:
Meet s the requirements and purposes of IDEA;
Needs assistance in implementing the requirements of IDEA;
Needs intervention in implementing the requirements of IDEA; or
Needs substantial intervention in implementing the requirements of IDEA.
For the first time in 2014, and again in 2015, 2016, 2017, 201 8, 2019, and 2020 , the Department
made Part B determinations us ing both compliance and results data, giving each equal weight in
making a State’s determination. For the first time in 2015 and again in 2016, 2017 2018, 2019,
and 2020 , the Department made Part C determinations us ing both compliance and results data,
giving each equal weight in making a State’s determination. For the first time in 2018, and again in
2019 and 2020, the Department made Part B determinations for the outlying areas, freely
associated States, and the Bureau of Indian Education using both compliance and results data,
2020 DETERMINATION LETTERS ON STATE IMPLEMENTATION OF IDEA 2
with a 60% weight and 40% weight respectively. OSEP’s accountability framework, called Results
Driven Accountability (RDA), brings into focus the educational results and functional outcomes for
children with disabilities while balancing those results with the compliance requirements of IDEA.
Protecting the rights of children with disabilities and their families is a key responsibility of State
educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs) for Part B, and Lead
Agencies and early intervention service programs for Part C , but it is not sufficient if children are
not attaining the knowledge and skills necessary to accomplish the ideals of IDEA: equality of
opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self- sufficiency.
IDEA identifies specific technical assistance or enforcement actions that the Department must
take under specific circumstances for States that are not determined to “ meet requirements.” If a
State “needs assistance” for two consecutive years, the Department must take one or more
enforcement actions, including, among others, requiring the State to access technical
assistance, designating the S tate as a high-risk grantee, or directing the use of S tate set-aside
funds to the area( s) where the S tate needs assistance. If a State “needs intervention” for three
consecutive years, the Department must take one or more enforcement actions, including
among others, requiring a corrective action plan or compliance agreement, or wi thholding
further payments to the S tate. Any time a S tate “needs substantial intervention” the Department
must take immediate enforcement action, such as withholding funds or referring the matter to
the Department’s inspector general or to the Department of Justice.
2020 DETERMINATION LETTERS ON STATE IMPLEMENTATION OF IDEA 3
IDEA P ART B D ETERMINATIONS
Following is a list of each S tate’s performance in meeting the requirements of IDEA Part B,
which serves students with disabilities, ages 3 through 21:
MEETS REQUIREMENTS
Arkansas
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Kansas
Kentucky
Ma ine
Massachusetts Minnesota
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
North Carolina
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania Republic of the
Marshall Islands
South Dakota
Virginia
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyomin g
NEEDS ASSISTANCE (one year)
Arizona
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana
Islands Connecticut
Indiana
Montana Nebraska
Ohio
NEEDS ASSISTANCE ( two or more consecutive year s)
Alabama
Alaska
American Samoa
D istrict of Columbia
California
Colorado
Delaware
Federated States of Micronesia Guam
Hawaii
Iowa
Idaho
Louisiana
Maryland
M ichigan
Mississippi
New Mexico Nevada
Oregon
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Washington
NEEDS INTERVENTION ( one year )
New York
Virgin Islands
Vermont
NEEDS INTERVENTION ( three years)
Palau
NEEDS INTERVENTION ( nine consecutive years)
Bureau of Indian Education
2020 DETERMINATION LETTERS ON STATE IMPLEMENTATION OF IDEA 4
IDEA P ART C D ETERMINATIONS
Following is a list of each State’s performance in meeting the requirements of IDEA Part C,
which serves infants and toddlers birth through age 2:
MEETS REQUIREMENTS
Alabama
Arkansas
Arizona
District of Columbia
Georgia
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Loui siana Maryland
Mi
nnesota
North Carolina
North Dakota
New Mexico
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Washington
West Virginia
Wyoming
NEEDS ASSISTANCE (one year)
Alaska
Connecticut
Missouri Montana
Nevada
New York
Virginia
Wisconsin
NEEDS ASSISTANCE ( two or more consecutive years)
American Samoa
California
Colorado
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana
Islands
Delaware
Florida Guam
Hawaii
Iowa
Illinois
Indiana
Massachusetts
Mississippi Ma
ine
Mi chigan
New Hampshire
New Jersey
South Carolina
Vermont
Virgin Islands
NEEDS INTERVENTION ( one year )
Nebraska

Revised November 25, 2020
2020 IDEA Determinations Fact Sheet (PDF)
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services released State determinations on implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for Part B and Part C for fiscal year 2018. The 2004 Amendments to the IDEA require each State to develop a State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR) that evaluates the State’s efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of the IDEA, and describes how the State will improve its implementation. The Part B SPP/APR and Part C SPP/APR include Indicators that measure child and family results, and other indicators that measure compliance with the requirements of the IDEA. Since 2015, the Part B SPP/APR and Part C SPP/APR have included a State Systemic Improvement Plan through which each State focuses its efforts on improving a State-selected child or family outcome.
The IDEA also requires each State to report annually to the Secretary on its performance under the SPP. Specifically, the State must report in its APR, the progress it has made in meeting the measurable and rigorous targets established in its SPP. The Secretary is required to issue an annual determination to each State on its progress in meeting the requirements of the statute. The determinations are part of the ongoing efforts to improve education for America’s 7.5 million children with disabilities.
IDEA details four categories for the Secretary’s determinations. A State’s determination may be:
- Meets the requirements and purposes of IDEA;
- Needs assistance in implementing the requirements of IDEA;
- Needs intervention in implementing the requirements of IDEA; or
- Needs substantial intervention in implementing the requirements of IDEA.
For the first time in 2014, and again in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, the Department made Part B determinations using both compliance and results data, giving each equal weight in making a State’s determination. For the first time in 2015 and again in 2016, 2017 2018, 2019, and 2020, the Department made Part C determinations using both compliance and results data, giving each equal weight in making a State’s determination. For the first time in 2018, and again in 2019 and 2020, the Department made Part B determinations for the outlying areas, freely associated States, and the Bureau of Indian Education using both compliance and results data, with a 60% weight and 40% weight respectively. OSEP’s accountability framework, called Results Driven Accountability (RDA), brings into focus the educational results and functional outcomes for children with disabilities while balancing those results with the compliance requirements of IDEA. Protecting the rights of children with disabilities and their families is a key responsibility of State educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs) for Part B, and Lead Agencies and early intervention service programs for Part C, but it is not sufficient if children are not attaining the knowledge and skills necessary to accomplish the ideals of IDEA: equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency.
IDEA identifies specific technical assistance or enforcement actions that the Department must take under specific circumstances for States that are not determined to “meet requirements.” If a State “needs assistance” for two consecutive years, the Department must take one or more enforcement actions, including, among others, requiring the State to access technical assistance, designating the State as a high-risk grantee, or directing the use of State set-aside funds to the area(s) where the State needs assistance. If a State “needs intervention” for three consecutive years, the Department must take one or more enforcement actions, including among others, requiring a corrective action plan or compliance agreement, or withholding further payments to the State. Any time a State “needs substantial intervention” the Department must take immediate enforcement action, such as withholding funds or referring the matter to the Department’s inspector general or to the Department of Justice.
IDEA Part B Determinations
Following is a list of each State’s performance in meeting the requirements of IDEA Part B, which serves students with disabilities, ages 3 through 21:
Meets Requirements
Arkansas |
Minnesota |
Republic of the Marshall Islands |
Florida |
Missouri |
South Dakota |
Georgia |
New Hampshire |
Virginia |
Illinois |
New Jersey |
West Virginia |
Kansas |
North Carolina |
Wisconsin |
Kentucky |
North Dakota |
Wyoming |
Maine |
Oklahoma |
|
Massachusetts |
Pennsylvania |
|
Needs Assistance (one year)
Arizona |
Connecticut |
Nebraska |
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands |
Indiana |
Ohio |
|
Montana |
|
Needs Assistance (two or more consecutive years)
Alabama |
Guam |
Nevada |
Alaska |
Hawaii |
Oregon |
American Samoa |
Iowa |
Puerto Rico |
District of Columbia |
Idaho |
Rhode Island |
California |
Louisiana |
South Carolina |
Colorado |
Maryland |
Tennessee |
Delaware |
Michigan |
Texas |
Federated States of Micronesia |
Mississippi |
Utah |
|
New Mexico |
Washington |
Needs Intervention (one year)
New York |
Vermont |
Virgin Islands |
|
Needs Intervention (three years)
Needs Intervention (nine consecutive years)
Bureau of Indian Education |
IDEA Part C Determinations
Following is a list of each State’s performance in meeting the requirements of IDEA Part C, which serves infants and toddlers birth through age 2:
Meets Requirements
Alabama |
Maryland |
Puerto Rico |
Arkansas |
Minnesota |
Rhode Island |
Arizona |
North Carolina |
South Dakota |
District of Columbia |
North Dakota |
Tennessee |
Georgia |
New Mexico |
Texas |
Idaho |
Ohio |
Utah |
Kansas |
Oklahoma |
Washington |
Kentucky |
Oregon |
West Virginia |
Louisiana |
Pennsylvania |
Wyoming |
Needs Assistance (one year)
Alaska |
Montana |
Virginia |
Connecticut |
Nevada |
Wisconsin |
Missouri |
New York |
|
Needs Assistance (two or more consecutive years
American Samoa |
Hawaii |
Michigan |
California |
Iowa |
New Hampshire |
Colorado |
Illinois |
New Jersey |
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands |
Indiana |
South Carolina |
Delaware |
Massachusetts |
Vermont |
Florida |
Mississippi |
Virgin Islands |
Guam |
Maine |
|
Needs Intervention (one year)