OSEP Fast Facts: OSEP Releases Two New Fast Facts on IDEA Section 618 Data Collected on Children with Disabilities Served Under IDEA in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic

IDEA Section 618 Data Collected on Children with Disabilities Served Under IDEA, Part C During the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic

By the Office of Special Education Programs 

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) released two new OSEP Fast Facts that take a closer look at the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Section 618 data submitted for School Year (SY) 2020-21 and fall 2021: 

The Part C infographics looks at data related to infants and toddlers, birth through age 2, with disabilities, and the Part B infographic looks at data related to children and youth, ages 3 through 21, with disabilities. 

In these infographics, OSEP highlights examples of state-submitted data notes that reference the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on these data collections.   

Highlights from IDEA Section 618 Data Collected on Children with Disabilities Served Under IDEA, Part C During the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic 

  • There was close to a 15% drop in the number of infants and toddlers served under IDEA, Part C in 2020-21. In 2021-22, the number served was back to 95% of the number of infants and toddlers served in 2019. 
  • There was a decrease in the percent of infants and toddlers receiving services in a community-based setting and an increase in those receiving services in the home setting from 2019-20 to 2021-22.  
  • There has been a steady increase in the number of infants and toddlers who reached age three, exiting IDEA, Part C from 2016-17 to 2019-20 and then nearly a 9% drop in 2020-21.   
  • There was an overall drop in written signed complaints, mediations, and due process complaints filed in 2020-21. 

Highlights from IDEA Section 618 Data Collected on Children with Disabilities Served Under IDEA, Part B During the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic 

  • There was a less than 1% drop in the number of children with disabilities, ages 3-21, served under IDEA, Part B from SY 2019-20 to SY 2020-21. In SY 2021-22, the number served under Part B increased above the number served in SY 2019-20. 
  • The Department of Education (ED) waived the reporting of the statewide assessments in SY 2019-20, and ED offered states flexibilities regarding the timing, length and type of administration of assessments in SY 2020-21. Therefore, assessment data for SY 2020-21 may not be comparable to other years. A visualization in the Fast Fact explores the uncertainty of the assessment data during this time. 
  • After a slight upward trend in the number of total disciplinary removals of children with disabilities, ages 3-21, from SY 2016-17 to SY 2018-19 there was a 73% drop in disciplinary removals from 2018-19 to 2020-21. 
  • There was an overall drop in the number of written signed complaints and mediations in SY 2020-21. However, the trend in the number of total due process complaints filed increased over time from SY 2016-17 to SY 2020-21. 

Visit the OSEP Fast Facts page for existing and future Fast Facts.

Blog articles provide insights on the activities of schools, programs, grantees, and other education stakeholders to promote continuing discussion of educational innovation and reform. Articles do not endorse any educational product, service, curriculum or pedagogy.

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