Slip Laws vs. Code Citations

Federal statutes are laws enacted by Congress with, generally, the approval of the President. They are published in three formats:

  1. as individual slip laws, which are pamphlets that each contain a separate statute;
  2. session laws, which are compilations of all of the slip laws enacted during a session of Congress; and
  3. as codified law incorporated into a code.

The United States Code, or “U.S.C.”, organizes statutes, as amended, by subject matter. For example, all of the statutes relating to education are found in chapter 20 of the U.S.C. However, when referencing particular sections of a statute, the section number used in the slip law version is commonly used, rather than the code version. So, for example, IDEA Part B State Eligibility requirements are found in section 612 of the IDEA, which can be cited as 20 U.S.C. 1412.

Here are a few of the more commonly cited sections from the IDEA statute and the corresponding U.S.C. cite where you will find the requirement:

Law Section U.S. Code Section Title
Section 615 20 U.S.C. 1415 Procedural Safeguards (Part B)
Section 616 20 U.S.C. 1416 Monitoring, Technical Assistance, and Enforcement
Section 618 20 U.S.C. 1418 Program Information (Data)
Section 619 20 U.S.C. 1419 Preschool Grants
Section 639 20 U.S.C. 1439 Procedural Safeguards (Part C)

Below is a table that cross-references the slip law section numbers with the code citations.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. 1400, et seq.

PART A—General Provisions

Law Section U.S. Code Section Title
Section 601 20 U.S.C. 1400 Short title; table of contents; findings; purposes.
Section 602 20 U.S.C. 1401 Definitions.
Section 603 20 U.S.C. 1402 Office of Special Education Programs.
Section 604 20 U.S.C. 1403 Abrogation of State sovereign immunity.
Section 605 20 U.S.C. 1404 Acquisition of equipment; construction or alteration of facilities.
Section 606 20 U.S.C. 1405 Employment of individuals with disabilities.
Section 607 20 U.S.C. 1406 Requirements for prescribing regulations.
Section 608 20 U.S.C. 1407 State administration.
Section 609 20 U.S.C. 1408 Paperwork reduction.
Section 610 20 U.S.C. 1409 Freely Associated States

PART B—Assistance for Education of All Children with Disabilities

Law Section U.S. Code Section Title
Section 611 20 U.S.C. 1411 Authorization; allotment; use of funds; authorization of appropriations.
Section 612 20 U.S.C. 1412 State eligibility.
Section 613 20 U.S.C. 1413 Local educational agency eligibility.
Section 614 20 U.S.C. 1414 Evaluations, eligibility determinations, individualized education programs, and educational placements.
Section 615 20 U.S.C. 1415 Procedural safeguards.
Section 616 20 U.S.C. 1416 Monitoring, technical assistance, and enforcement.
Section 617 20 U.S.C. 1417 Administration.
Section 618 20 U.S.C. 1418 Program information.
Section 619 20 U.S.C. 1419 Preschool grants.

PART C—Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities

Law Section U.S. Code Section Title
Section 631 20 U.S.C. 1431 Findings and policy.
Section 632 20 U.S.C. 1432 Definitions.
Section 633 20 U.S.C. 1433 General authority.
Section 634 20 U.S.C. 1434 Eligibility.
Section 635 20 U.S.C. 1435 Requirements for statewide system.
Section 636 20 U.S.C. 1436 Individualized family service plan.
Section 637 20 U.S.C. 1437 State application and assurances.
Section 638 20 U.S.C. 1438 Uses of funds.
Section 639 20 U.S.C. 1439 Procedural safeguards.
Section 640 20 U.S.C. 1440 Payor of last resort.
Section 641 20 U.S.C. 1441 State interagency coordinating council.
Section 642 20 U.S.C. 1442 Federal administration.
Section 643 20 U.S.C. 1443 Allocation of funds.
Section 644 20 U.S.C. 1444 Authorization of appropriations.

PART D—National Activities to Improve Education of Children with Disabilities

Law Section U.S. Code Section Title
Section 650 20 U.S.C. 1450 Findings

Subpart 1—State Personnel Development Grants

Law Section U.S. Code Section Title
Section 651 20 U.S.C. 1451 Purpose; definition of personnel; program authority.
Section 652 20 U.S.C. 1452 Eligibility and collaborative process.
Section 653 20 U.S.C. 1453 Applications.
Section 654 20 U.S.C. 1454 Use of funds.
Section 655 20 U.S.C. 1455 Authorization of appropriations.

Subpart 2—Personnel preparation, technical assistance, model demonstration projects, and dissemination of information.

Law Section U.S. Code Section Title
Section 661 20 U.S.C. 1461 Purpose; definition of eligible entity.
Section 662 20 U.S.C. 1462 Personnel development to improve services and results for children with disabilities.
Section 663 20 U.S.C. 1463 Technical assistance, demonstration projects; dissemination of information, and implementation of scientifically based research.
Section 664 20 U.S.C. 1464 Studies and evaluations.
Section 665 20 U.S.C. 1465 Interim alternative educational settings, behavioral supports, and systemic school interventions.
Section 667 20 U.S.C. 1467 Authorization of appropriations.

Subpart 3—Supports to Improve Results for Children with Disabilities

Law Section U.S. Code Section Title
Section 670 20 U.S.C. 1470 Purposes.
Section 671 20 U.S.C. 1471 Parent training and information centers.
Section 672 20 U.S.C. 1472 Community parent resource centers.
Section 673 20 U.S.C. 1473 Technical assistance for parent training and information centers.
Section 674 20 U.S.C. 1474 Technology development, demonstration, and utilization; and media services.
Section 675 20 U.S.C. 1475 Authorization of appropriations.

Subpart 4—General Provisions

Law Section U.S. Code Section Title
Section 681 20 U.S.C. 1481 Comprehensive plan for subparts 2 and 3
Section 682 20 U.S.C. 1482 Administrative provisions.