[Federal Register: October 22, 1997 (Proposed Rules)]
[Page 55126-55135]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22oc97-23]
 
[[pp. 55126-55135]] Assistance to States for the Education of Children With
Disabilities, Preschool Grants for Children With Disabilities, and 
Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers With Disabilities

[[Continued from page 55125]]

[[Page 55126]]

prior written notice of the agency's proposals or refusals, or both, 
regarding the child's educational program and placement, and the 
parents have the right to seek resolution of any disagreements 
through mediation or other informal means, or by initiating an 
impartial due process hearing. Every effort should be made to 
resolve differences between parents and school staff through 
voluntary mediation or some other informal step, without resort to a 
due process hearing. However, mediation or other informal procedures 
may not be used to deny or delay a parent's right to a due process 
hearing.
    10. Does Part B require that public agencies inform parents 
regarding the educational progress of their children with 
disabilities?
    Yes, the Part B statute and regulations include a number of 
provisions to help ensure that parents are involved in decisions 
regarding, and informed about, their child's educational progress, 
including the child's progress in the general curriculum. First, the 
parents will be informed regarding their child's present levels of 
educational performance through the development of the IEP. Section 
300.347(a)(1) requires that each IEP include:

* * * a statement of the child's present levels of educational 
performance, including--(i) How the child's disability affects the 
child's involvement and progress in the general curriculum; or (ii) 
for preschool children, as appropriate, how the disability affects 
the child's participation in appropriate activities * * *

    Further, Sec. 300.347(a)(7) sets forth requirements for 
regularly informing parents about their child's educational 
progress. That section requires that the IEP include:

* * * a statement of--(i) How the child's progress toward the annual 
goals * * * will be measured; and (ii) how the child's parents will 
be regularly informed (by such means as periodic report cards), at 
least as often as parents of nondisabled children are informed, of--
(A) Their child's progress toward the annual goals * * * ; and (B) 
the extent to which that progress is sufficient to enable the child 
to achieve the goals by the end of the year.

    Finally, the parents will, as part of the IEP team, participate, 
at least once every 12 months, in a review of their child's 
educational progress. Part B requires that a public agency initiate 
and conduct a meeting, at which the IEP team:

* * * (1) Reviews the child's IEP periodically, but not less than 
annually to determine whether the annual goals for the child are 
being achieved; and (2) revises the IEP as appropriate to address--
(i) Any lack of expected progress toward the annual goals * * * and 
in the general curriculum, if appropriate; (ii) The results of any 
reevaluation * * * ; (iii) Information about the child provided to, 
or by, the parents * * * ; (iv) The child's anticipated needs; or 
(v) Other matters.

III. Preparing Students With Disabilities for Employment and Other 
Post-School Experiences

    One of the primary purposes of the IDEA is to ``* * * ensure 
that all children with disabilities have available to them a free 
appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and 
related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare 
them for employment and independent living * * *'' (Sec. 300.1(a)).
    Similarly, one of the key purposes of the IDEA Amendments of 
1997 was to ``promote improved educational results for children with 
disabilities through early intervention, preschool, and educational 
experiences that prepare them for later educational challenges and 
employment.'' (House Report No. 105-95, p. 82 (1997).) Thus, 
throughout their preschool, elementary, and secondary education, the 
IEP for each child with a disability must, to the extent appropriate 
for the individual child, focus on providing instruction and 
experiences that enable the child to prepare himself or herself for 
later educational experiences and for post-school activities, 
including formal education, if appropriate, employment, and 
independent living.
    Although preparation for adult life is, as explained, a key 
component of a free appropriate public education throughout a 
child's educational experiences, Part B sets forth specific 
requirements for transition from secondary education to post-school 
activities, which must be implemented no later than age 14 and 16, 
respectively, which require an intensified focus on that preparation 
as students with disabilities begin and prepare to complete their 
secondary education.
    11. What must the IEP team do to meet the requirements that the 
IEP include ``a statement of * * * transition service needs'' 
beginning at age 14 (Sec. 300.347(b)(1)(i)),'' and a statement of 
needed transition services'' no later than age 16 
(Sec. 300.347(b)(1)(ii))?
    Section 300.347(b)(1) requires that, beginning no later than age 
14, each student's IEP include specific transition-related content, 
and, beginning no later than age 16, a statement of needed 
transition services:
    Beginning at age 14, each student's IEP must include ``* * * a 
statement of the transition service needs of the child under the 
applicable components of the child's IEP that focuses on the child's 
courses of study (such as participation in advanced-placement 
courses or a vocational education program)'' 
(Sec. 300.347(b)(1)(i)).
    No later than age 16 (and younger, if determined appropriate by 
the IEP Team), each student's IEP must include ``a statement of 
needed transition services for the child, including, if appropriate, 
a statement of the interagency responsibilities or any needed 
linkages * * *'' (Sec. 300.347(b)(1)(ii)).
    The House Report on the IDEA Amendments of 1997 makes clear that 
the requirement added to the statute in 1997 that beginning at age 
14, or younger if appropriate, the IEP include ``a statement of the 
transition service needs'' is ``* * * designed to augment, and not 
replace,'' the separate, preexisting requirement that the IEP 
include, ``* * * beginning at age 16 (or younger, if determined 
appropriate by the IEP Team), a statement of needed transition 
services * * *'' (House Report No. 105-95, p. 102 (1997).) As 
clarified by the Report, ``The purpose of [the requirement in 
Sec. 300.347(b)(1)(i)] is to focus attention on how the child's 
educational program can be planned to help the child make a 
successful transition to his or her goals for life after secondary 
school.'' (House Report No. 105-95, pp. 101-102 (1997).) The report 
further explains that ``[F]or example, for a child whose transition 
goal is a job, a transition service could be teaching the child how 
to get to the job site on public transportation.'' (House Report No. 
105-95, p-102 (1997).) Thus, beginning at age 14, the IEP team, in 
determining appropriate measurable annual goals (including 
benchmarks or short-term objectives) and services for a student, 
must determine what instruction and educational experiences will 
assist the student to prepare for transition from secondary 
education to post-secondary life. The statement of transition 
service needs should relate directly to the student's goals beyond 
secondary education, and show how planned studies are linked to 
these goals. For example, a student interested in exploring a career 
in computer science may have a statement of transition service needs 
connected to technology course work, while another student's 
statement of transition needs could describe why public bus 
transportation training is important for future independence in the 
community. Though the focus of the transition planning process may 
shift as the student approaches graduation, the IEP team must 
discuss specific areas beginning at the age of 14 years and review 
these areas annually.
    This requirement is distinct from the requirement, at 
Sec. 300.347(b)(1)(ii), that the IEP include:

* * * beginning at age 16 (or younger, if determined appropriate by 
the IEP Team), a statement of needed transition services for the 
child, including, if appropriate, a statement of the interagency 
responsibilities or any needed linkages.

    The term ``transition services'' is defined at Sec. 300.27 to 
mean:

    * * * a coordinated set of activities for a student with a 
disability that--(a) Is designed within an outcome-oriented process, 
that promotes movement from school to post-school activities, 
including postsecondary education, vocational training, integrated 
employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult 
education, adult services, independent living, or community 
participation; (b) Is based on the individual student's needs, 
taking into account the student's preferences and interests; and (c) 
Includes--(1) Instruction; (2) Related services; (3) Community 
experiences; (4) The development of employment and other post-school 
adult living objectives; and (5) If appropriate, acquisition of 
daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation. (Section 
Sec. 300.347(b)(2) provides, however, that, ``If the IEP team 
determines that services are not needed in one or more of the areas 
specified in Sec. 300.27((c)(1) through (4), the IEP must include a 
statement to that effect and the basis upon which the determination 
was made.)

    Thus, while Sec. 300.347(b)(1)(i) requires that the IEP team 
begin by age 14 to address the

[[Page 55127]]

student's need for instruction that will assist the student to 
prepare for transition, Sec. 300.347(b)(2)(ii) requires that by age 
16 the IEP include a ``coordinated set of activities * * *, designed 
within an outcome-oriented process, that promotes movement from 
school to post-school activities. * * *'' Section 300.344(b)(3) 
further requires that, in implementing Sec. 300.347(b)(2)(ii), 
public agencies invite (in addition to required participants for all 
IEP meetings), must also invite a representative of any other agency 
that is likely to be responsible for providing or paying for 
transition services. Thus, Sec. 300.346(a)(7)(ii) requires a broader 
focus on coordination of services across, and linkages between, 
agencies beyond the SEA and LEA.
    12. Must the IEP for each student with a disability, beginning 
no later than age 16, include all ``needed transition services,'' as 
identified by the IEP team and consistent with the definition at 
Sec. 300.27, even if an agency other than the public agency will 
provide those services? What is the public agency's responsibility 
if another agency fails to provide agreed-upon transition services?
    Section 300.347(b)(1)(ii) requires that the IEP for each child 
with a disability, beginning no later than age 16, or younger if 
determined appropriate by the IEP team, include all ``needed 
transition services,'' as identified by the IEP team and consistent 
with the definition at Sec. 300.27, regardless of whether the public 
agency or some other agency will provide those services. Section 
300.346(b)(1)(ii) specifically requires that the statement of needed 
transition services include, ``* * * if appropriate, a statement of 
the interagency responsibilities or any needed linkages.''
    Further, the need to include in the IEP transition services to 
be provided by agencies other than the public agency is contemplated 
by Sec. 300.348(a), which specifies what the public agency must do 
if another agency participating in the development of the statement 
of needed transition services fails to provide a needed transition 
service that it agreed to provide:

If a participating agency fails to provide agreed-upon transition 
services contained in the IEP of a student with a disability, the 
public agency responsible for the student's education shall, as soon 
as possible, initiate a meeting for the purpose of identifying 
alternative strategies to meet the transition objectives and, if 
necessary, revising the student's IEP.

    This requirement is consistent with the public agency's ultimate 
responsibility to ensure that FAPE is available to each eligible 
child with a disability (see Sec. 300.300). That responsibility 
includes the planning and coordination of transition services 
through the IEP. This inter-agency planning and coordination may be 
supported through a variety of mechanisms, including memoranda of 
understanding, interagency agreements, assignment of a transition 
coordinator to work with other participating agencies, or the 
establishment of guidelines to work with other agencies identified 
as potential service providers. If an agreed-upon service by another 
agency is not provided, the public agency responsible for the 
student must exercise alternative strategies to meet the student's 
needs. This requires that the public agency provide the services, or 
convene an IEP meeting as soon as possible to identify alternative 
strategies to meet the needs of the transition services needs of the 
student, and to revise the IEP accordingly. Alternative strategies 
might include the identification of another funding source, referral 
to another agency, the public agency's identification of other 
district-wide or community resources that it can use to meet the 
student's identified need appropriately, or a combination of these 
strategies. As emphasized by Sec. 300.348(b), however:

Nothing in [Part B] relieves any participating agency, including a 
State vocational rehabilitation agency, of the responsibility to 
provide or pay for any transition service that the agency would 
otherwise provide to students with disabilities who meet the 
eligibility criteria of that agency.

    However, the fact that an agency other than the LEA does not 
fulfill its responsibility does not relieve the LEA of its 
responsibility to ensure that FAPE is available to each student with 
a disability.

    Note: See also Sec. 300.142(b)(2), which requires that if an 
agency other than the LEA fails to provide or pay for a special 
education or related service (which could include a transition 
service), the LEA must provide or pay for the service, and may then 
claim reimbursement from the agency that failed to provide or pay 
for the service.

    13. Under what circumstances must a public agency invite 
representatives from other agencies to an IEP meeting at which a 
child's need for transition services will be considered?
    Section 300.344(c)(ii) requires that, ``In implementing the 
requirements of [Sec. 300.347(b)(1)(ii) requiring a statement of 
needed transition services], the public agency shall also invite a 
representative of any other agency that is likely to be responsible 
for providing or paying for transition services.'' To meet this 
requirement, the public agency must establish and implement 
appropriate procedures to ensure that it identifies all agencies 
that are ``likely to be responsible for providing or paying for 
transition services'' for each student addressed by 
Sec. 300.347(b)(1)(ii), and invites each of those agencies to the 
IEP meeting. If, during the course of an IEP meeting, the team 
identifies additional agencies that are ``likely to be responsible 
for providing or paying for transition services'' for the student, 
the public agency must determine whether it is necessary to invite 
those agencies to an additional IEP meeting in order to develop an 
appropriate statement of needed transition services for the student.

IV. Other Questions Regarding the Development and Content of IEPS

    14. For a child with a disability receiving special education 
for the first time, when must an IEP be developed--before placement 
or after placement?
    Section 300.342(b)(1) requires that an IEP be ``in effect before 
special education and related services are provided to a child.'' 
(Italics added.) The appropriate placement for a particular child 
with a disability cannot be determined until after decisions have 
been made about the child's needs and the services that the public 
agency will provide to meet those needs. These decisions must be 
made at the IEP meeting, and it would not be permissible first to 
place the child and then develop the IEP. Therefore, the IEP must be 
developed before placement. This requirement does not preclude 
temporarily placing an eligible child with a disability in a program 
as part of the evaluation process--before the IEP is finalized--to 
assist a public agency in determining the appropriate placement for 
the child. It is essential that the temporary placement not become 
the final placement before the IEP is finalized. In order to ensure 
that this does not happen, the State might consider requiring LEAs 
to take the following actions:
    a. Develop an interim IEP for the child that sets out the 
specific conditions and timelines for the trial placement. (See 
paragraph c.)
    b. Ensure that the parents agree to the interim placement before 
it is carried out, and that they are involved throughout the process 
of developing, reviewing, and revising the child's IEP.
    c. Set a specific timeline (e.g., 30 days) for completing the 
evaluation, finalizing the IEP, and making judgments about the most 
appropriate placement for the child.
    d. Conduct an IEP meeting at the end of the trial period in 
order to finalize the child's IEP.
    15. Who is responsible for ensuring the development of IEPs for 
children with disabilities served by a public agency other than an 
LEA?
    The answer as to which public agency has direct responsibility 
for ensuring the development of IEPs for children with disabilities 
served by a public agency other than an LEA will vary from State to 
State, depending upon State law, policy, or practice. The SEA is 
ultimately responsible for ensuring that all Part B requirements, 
including the IEP requirements, are met for eligible children within 
the State, including those children served by a public agency other 
than an LEA. (See Sec. 300.600 regarding the SEA's general 
supervisory responsibility for all education programs for children 
with disabilities, with one exception. The Governor (or another 
individual pursuant to State law) may, consistent with State law, 
assign to any public agency in the State the responsibility of 
ensuring that Part B requirements are met with respect to children 
with disabilities who are convicted as adults under State law and 
incarcerated in adult prisons.)
    The SEA must ensure that every child with a disability in the 
State has FAPE available, regardless of which State or local agency 
is responsible for educating the child. (The only exception to this 
responsibility is that, as noted, the SEA is not responsible for 
ensuring that FAPE is made available to children with disabilities 
who are convicted as adults under State law and incarcerated in 
adult prisons, if the State has assigned that responsibility to a 
public agency other than the SEA.) Although the SEA has flexibility 
in deciding the best means to meet this obligation (e.g., through 
interagency

[[Page 55128]]

agreements), the SEA must ensure that no eligible child with a 
disability is denied FAPE due to jurisdictional disputes among 
agencies.
    When an LEA is responsible for the education of a child with a 
disability, the LEA remains responsible for developing the child's 
IEP, regardless of the public or private school setting into which 
it places the child.
    16. For a child placed out of State by an educational or non-
educational State or local agency, is the placing or receiving State 
responsible for the child's IEP?
    Regardless of the reason for the placement, the ``placing'' 
State is responsible for developing the child's IEP and ensuring 
that it is implemented. The determination of the specific agency in 
the placing State that is responsible for the child's IEP would be 
based on State law, policy, or practice. However, the SEA in the 
placing State is responsible for ensuring that the child has FAPE 
available.
    17. If a disabled child has been receiving special education 
from one public agency and transfers to another public agency in the 
same State, must the new public agency develop an IEP before the 
child can be placed in a special education program?
    If a child with a disability changes school districts in the 
same State, the State and its public agencies have an ongoing 
responsibility to ensure that the child receives FAPE, and the new 
public agency is responsible for ensuring that the child receives 
special education and related services in conformity with an IEP. 
The new public agency must ensure that the child has an IEP in 
effect before the agency can provide special education and related 
services. The new public agency may meet this responsibility by 
either adopting the IEP the former public agency developed for the 
child or by developing a new IEP for the child. Before the child's 
IEP is finalized, the new public agency may provide interim services 
agreed upon by both the parents and the new public agency. If the 
parents and the new public agency are unable to agree on an interim 
IEP and placement, the new public agency must implement the old IEP 
to the extent possible until a new IEP is developed and implemented.
    In general, while the new public agency must conduct an IEP 
meeting, it would not be necessary if: (1) A copy of the child's 
current IEP is available; (2) the parents indicate that they are 
satisfied with the current IEP; and (3) the new public agency 
determines that the current IEP is appropriate and can be 
implemented as written.
    If the child's current IEP is not available, or if either the 
new public agency or the parent believes that it is not appropriate, 
the new public agency must conduct an IEP meeting within a short 
time after the child enrolls in the new public agency (normally, 
within one week).
    18. What timelines apply to the development and implementation 
of an initial IEP for a child with a disability?
    Section 300.343(b) requires a public agency to: (1) Ensure that 
an offer of services in accordance with an IEP is made to parents 
within a reasonable period of time from the agency's receipt of 
parent consent to an initial evaluation; and (2) in meeting that 
timeline, conduct a meeting to develop the IEP within 30-calendar 
days of a determination that the child needs special education and 
related services. Section 300.342(b)(2) requires that an IEP be 
implemented as soon as possible following the meeting in which the 
IEP is developed.
    19. Must a public agency hold separate meetings to determine a 
child's eligibility for special education and related services, 
develop the child's IEP, and determine the child's placement, or may 
the agency meet all of these requirements in a single meeting?
    A public agency may, after a child is determined by ``a team of 
qualified professionals and the parent'' (see Sec. 300.534(a)(1)) to 
be a child with a disability who needs special education services, 
continue in the same meeting to develop an IEP for the child and to 
determine the child's placement. However, the public agency must 
ensure that it: (1) Meets all of the Part B requirements regarding 
meetings to develop IEPs, including providing appropriate 
notification to the parents, consistent with the requirements of 
Sec. 300.345, and including the required team participants, 
consistent with the requirements of Sec. 300.344; and (2) the 
requirements of Sec. 300.533 regarding eligibility decisions.
    20. How frequently must a public agency conduct meetings to 
review, and if appropriate revise, the IEP for each child with a 
disability?
    A public agency must initiate and conduct meetings periodically, 
but at least once every twelve months, to determine whether the 
annual goals for the child are being achieved, and to revise the IEP 
as appropriate to address: (a) Any lack of expected progress toward 
the annual goals and in the general curriculum, if appropriate; (b) 
the results of any reevaluation; (c) information about the child 
provided to, or by, the parents; (d) the child's anticipated needs; 
or (e) other matters (Sec. 300.343(c)).
    A public agency must also ensure that an IEP is in effect for 
each child at the beginning of each school year (Sec. 300.342(a)). 
It may conduct IEP meetings at any time during the year. However, if 
the agency conducts the IEP meeting prior to the beginning of the 
next school year, it must ensure that the IEP contains the necessary 
special education and related services and supplementary aids and 
services to ensure that the student's IEP can be appropriately 
implemented during the next school year. Otherwise, it would be 
necessary for the public agency to conduct another IEP meeting.
    Although the public agency is responsible for determining when 
it is necessary to conduct an IEP meeting, the parents of a child 
with a disability have the right to request an IEP meeting at any 
time. For example, if the parents believe that the child is not 
progressing satisfactorily or that there is a problem with the 
child's current IEP, it would be appropriate for the parents to 
request an IEP meeting. If a child's teachers feels that the child's 
placement or IEP services are not appropriate to the child, the 
teachers should follow agency procedures with respect to (1) calling 
or meeting with the parents or (2) requesting the agency to hold 
another IEP meeting to review the child's IEP. The legislative 
history of Public Law 94-142 makes it clear that there should be as 
many meetings a year as any one child may need (121 Cong. Rec. 
S20428-29 (Nov. 19, 1975) (remarks of Senator Stafford)).
    In general, if either a parent or a public agency believes that 
a required component of the student's IEP should be changed, the 
public agency must conduct an IEP meeting if it believes that the 
question of whether the student's IEP needs to be revised to ensure 
the provision of FAPE to the student is a matter that must be 
considered by the IEP team. If a parent requests an IEP meeting 
because the parent believes that a change in the provision of FAPE 
to the child or the educational placement of the child, and the 
agency refuses to convene an IEP meeting to determine whether such a 
change is needed, the agency must provide written notice to the 
parents of the refusal, including an explanation of why the agency 
has determined that conducting the meeting is not necessary to 
ensure the provision of FAPE to the student. Under Sec. 300.506(a), 
the parents or agency may initiate a due process hearing at any time 
regarding any proposal or refusal regarding the identification, 
evaluation, or educational placement of the child, or the provision 
of FAPE to the child.
    21. May IEP meetings be audio or video-tape-recorded?
    Part B does not address the use of audio or video recording 
devices at IEP meetings, and no other Federal statute either 
authorizes or prohibits the recording of an IEP meeting by either a 
parent or a school official. Therefore, an SEA or public agency has 
the option to require, prohibit, limit, or otherwise regulate the 
use of recording devices at IEP meetings. If a public agency has a 
policy prohibiting the use of these devices at IEP meetings, that 
policy must provide for exceptions if they are necessary to ensure 
that the parent understands the IEP or the IEP process or to 
implement other parental rights guaranteed under Part B. Any 
recording of an IEP meeting that is maintained by the public agency 
is an ``education record,'' within the meaning of the Family 
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (``FERPA''; 20 U.S.C. 1232g), and 
would, therefore, be subject to the confidentiality requirements of 
the regulations under both FERPA (34 CFR Part 99) and Part B 
(Secs. 300.560-300.575).
    Parents wishing to use audio or video recording devices at IEP 
meetings should consult State or local policies for further 
guidance.
    22. Who can serve as the representative of the public agency at 
an IEP meeting?
    The IEP team must include a representative of the local 
educational agency who: (a) Is qualified to provide, or supervise 
the provision of, specially designed instruction to meet the unique 
needs of children with disabilities; (b) is knowledgeable about the 
general curriculum; and (c) is knowledgeable about the availability 
of resources of the local educational agency (Sec. 300.344(a)(4)). 
Each State or local agency may determine which specific staff member 
will serve as the agency representative in a particular IEP meeting, 
so long as the individual meets these

[[Page 55129]]

requirements. It is, however, important that the agency 
representative have the authority to commit agency resources and be 
able to ensure that whatever services are set out in the IEP will 
actually be provided.

    Note: IEP meetings for continuing placements may in some 
instances be more routine than those for initial placements, and, 
thus, may not require the participation of a key administrator.

    23. For a child with a disability being considered for initial 
placement in special education, which teacher or teachers should 
attend the IEP meeting?
    A child's IEP team must include at least one of the student's 
regular education teachers (if the child is, or may be participating 
in the regular education environment) and at least one special 
education teacher, or, if appropriate, at least one of the child's 
special education providers (Sec. 300.344(a)(2) and (3)). Each IEP 
must include a statement of present levels of educational 
performance, including a statement of how the child's disability 
affects the child's involvement and progress in the general 
curriculum (Sec. 300.347(a)(1)). The regular education teacher is a 
required participant on the IEP team of a child who is, or may be, 
participating in the regular educational environment, regardless of 
the extent of that participation.
    The child's special education teacher could be either (1) a 
teacher qualified to provide special education in the child's area 
of suspected disability, or (2) another special education provider 
such as a speech pathologist, physical or occupational therapist, 
etc., if the related service consists of specially designed 
instruction and is considered special education under the applicable 
State standard.

    Note: Sometimes more than one meeting is necessary in order to 
finalize a child's IEP. In this process, if the special education 
teacher who will be working with the child is identified, it would 
be useful to have that teacher participate in the meeting with the 
parents and other members of the IEP team in finalizing the IEP. If 
this is not possible, the agency should ensure that the teacher is 
given a copy of the child's IEP as soon as possible after the IEP is 
finalized and before the teacher begins working with the child.

    24. If a child with a disability attends several regular 
classes, must all of the child's regular education teachers attend 
the IEP meeting?
    No. The IEP team need not include more than one regular 
education teacher of the child. If the participation of more than 
one regular education teacher is considered by the agency or the 
parents to be beneficial to the child's success in school (e.g., in 
terms of enhancing the child's participation in the general 
curriculum), it would be appropriate for them to attend the meeting.
    25. For a child whose primary disability is a speech impairment, 
may a public agency meet its responsibility under Sec. 300.344(a)(3) 
to ensure that the IEP team includes ``at least one special 
education teacher, or, if appropriate, at least one special 
education provider of the child'' by including a speech-language 
pathologist in the IEP team?
    Yes, if speech is considered special education under State 
standards. As with other children with disabilities, the IEP team 
must also include at least one of the child's regular education 
teachers if the child is, or may be, participating in the regular 
education environment.
    26. Do public agencies and parents have the option of bringing 
any individual of their choice to a student's IEP meeting? Would it 
be permissible for other individuals to attend IEP meetings at the 
discretion of the parents or the agency?
    The IEP team may, at the discretion of the parent or the agency, 
include ``other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise 
regarding the child * * * '' (Sec. 300.344(a)(6), italics added). 
This is a change from prior law, which had provided, without 
qualification, that parents or agencies could bring other 
individuals to IEP meetings at the discretion of the parents or 
agency. However, the legislative history of Public Law 94-142 made 
it clear that attendance at IEP meetings should be limited to those 
who have an intense interest in the child. (121 Cong. Rec. S10974 
(June 18, 1975) (remarks of Sen. Randolph).)
    Part B does not provide for the participation of individuals 
such as representatives of teacher organizations or attorneys at IEP 
meetings. For example, since a representative of a teacher 
organization would be concerned with the interests of the teacher 
rather than the interests of the child, and generally would not 
possess knowledge or expertise regarding the child, it generally 
would be inappropriate for such an official to attend an IEP 
meeting. While either the parent or public agency may consider 
inviting their attorneys to an IEP meeting, parents and public 
agencies need to ensure that their attorneys possess knowledge and 
expertise regarding the child to warrant their participation. 
However, the participation of attorneys at IEP meetings should be 
discouraged if their participation would have the potential for 
creating an adversarial atmosphere which would not necessarily be in 
the best interests of the child. Further, as provided in Section 
615(i)(3)(D)(ii) of the Act, ``Attorneys'' fees may not be awarded 
relating to any meeting of the IEP Team unless such meeting is 
convened as a result of an administrative proceeding or judicial 
action, or, at the discretion of the State, for a mediation * * * 
conducted prior to the [request for a due process hearing].''
    27. Must related services personnel attend IEP meetings?
    Although Part B does not expressly require that the IEP team 
include related services personnel as part of the IEP team 
(Sec. 300.344(a)), it is appropriate for those persons to be 
included if a particular related service is to be discussed as part 
of the IEP meeting. Section 300.344(a)(6) provides that the IEP team 
also includes ``at the discretion of the parent or the agency, other 
individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the 
child, including related services personnel as appropriate * * *.'' 
(Italics added.)
    Further, Sec. 300.344(a)(3) requires that the IEP team for each 
child with a disability include ``at least one special education 
teacher, or, if appropriate, at least one special education provider 
of the child * * * '' This requirement can be met by the 
participation of either (1) a special education teacher of the 
child, or (2) another special education provider such as a speech 
pathologist, physical or occupational therapist, etc., if the 
related service consists of specially designed instruction and is 
considered special education under the applicable State standard.
    If a child with a disability has an identified need for related 
services, it would be appropriate for the related services personnel 
to attend the meeting or otherwise be involved in developing the 
IEP. As explained in the House Report on the IDEA Amendments of 
1997, ``Related services personnel should be included on the team 
when a particular related service will be discussed at the request 
of the child's parents or the school.'' (House Report 105-95, p. 103 
(1997).) For example, if the child's evaluation indicates the need 
for a specific related service (e.g., physical therapy, occupational 
therapy, special transportation services, school social work 
services, school health services, or counseling), the agency should 
ensure that a qualified provider of that service either (1) attends 
the IEP meeting, or (2) provides a written recommendation concerning 
the nature, frequency, and amount of service to be provided to the 
child. This written recommendation could be a part of the evaluation 
report.
    28. Must the public agency ensure that all services specified in 
a child's IEP are provided?
    Yes. The public agency must ensure that all services set forth 
in the child's IEP are provided, consistent with the child's needs 
as identified in the IEP. It may provide each of those services 
directly, through its own staff resources; indirectly, by 
contracting with another public or private agency; or through other 
arrangements. In providing the services, the agency may use whatever 
State, local, Federal, and private sources of support are available 
for those purposes (see Sec. 300.301(a)), but the services must be 
at no cost to the parents, and the public agency remains responsible 
for ensuring that the IEP services are provided in a manner that 
appropriately meets the student's needs as specified in the IEP. The 
SEA and responsible public agency may not allow the failure of 
another agency to provide services described in the child's IEP to 
deny or delay the provision of FAPE to a child.
    29. Is it permissible for an agency to have the IEP completed 
before the IEP meeting begins?
    No. Agency staff may come to an IEP meeting prepared with 
evaluation findings and proposed recommendations regarding IEP 
content, but the agency must make it clear to the parents at the 
outset of the meeting that the services proposed by the agency are 
only recommendations for review and discussion with the parents. 
Agencies that use this approach must ensure that there is a full 
discussion with the parents of the child's needs and the services to 
be provided to meet those needs before the child's IEP is finalized.

[[Page 55130]]

    30. Must a public agency include transportation in a child's IEP 
as a related service?
    A public agency must provide transportation as a related service 
if it is required to assist the disabled child to benefit from 
special education. (This includes transporting a preschool-aged 
child to the site at which the public agency provides special 
education and related services to the child, if that site is 
different from the site at which the child receives other preschool 
or daycare services.) In determining whether to include 
transportation in a child's IEP, the IEP team must consider how the 
child's disability affects the child's need for transportation, 
including determining whether the child's disability prevents the 
child from using the same transportation provided to nondisabled 
children, or from getting to school in the same manner as 
nondisabled children. The public agency must ensure that any 
transportation service included in a child's IEP as a related 
service is provided at public expense and at no cost to the parents, 
and that the child's IEP describes the transportation arrangement.
    Even if a child's IEP team determines that the child does not 
require transportation as a related service, Section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that the child receive the same 
transportation provided to nondisabled children. If a public agency 
transports nondisabled children, it must transport disabled children 
under the same terms and conditions. However, if a child's IEP team 
determines that a student does not need transportation as a related 
service, and the public agency transports only those children whose 
IEPs specify transportation as a related service, and does not 
transport nondisabled children, the public agency would not be 
required to provide transportation to a disabled child.
    31. Must a public agency provide related services that are 
required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special 
education, whether or not those services are included in the list of 
related services in Sec. 300.16?
    The Note following Sec. 300.16 clarifies that ``[T]he list of 
related services is not exhaustive and may include other 
developmental, corrective, or supportive services * * * ), if they 
are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from 
special education.'' This could, depending upon the unique needs of 
a child, include such services as nutritional services or service 
coordination.
    32. Must the IEP specify the amount of services or may it simply 
list the services to be provided?
    The amount of services to be provided must be stated in the IEP, 
so that the level of the agency's commitment of resources will be 
clear to parents and other IEP team members. The amount of time to 
be committed to each of the various services to be provided must be 
(1) appropriate to the specific service, and (2) stated in the IEP 
in a manner that is clear to all who are involved in both the 
development and implementation of the IEP.

 Appendix--Distribution Table Showing Each Current Regulatory Section and the Corresponding Proposed Regulatory 
                                                   Section \1\                                                  
                    [Note: Appendix will not be codified in the Code of Federal Regulations]                    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Current regulatory section current    Comparable proposed regulatory section                                  
              section No.                        proposed section No.               Subpart and section title   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                       Subpart A--General       
                                                                                                                
                                                                                   Purpose Applicability, and   
                                                                                  Regulations That Apply to This
                                                                                             Program            
                                                                                                                
300.1.................................  300.1.................................  Purpose.                        
300.2.................................  300.2.................................  Applicability to State, local,  
                                                                                 and private agencies.          
300.3.................................  300.3.................................  Regulations that apply.         
                                                                                                                
                                                                                           Definitions          
                                                                                                                
300.4.................................  300.4.................................  Act.                            
300.5.................................  300.5.................................  Assistive technology device.    
300.6.................................  300.6.................................  Assistive technology service.   
300.7.................................  300.7.................................  Children with disabilities.     
                                                                                 (Retitled ``Child with a       
                                                                                 disability.'')                 
300.8.................................  300.11................................  Free appropriate public         
                                                                                 education.                     
300.9.................................  300.13................................  Include.                        
300.10................................  300.9.................................  Intermediate educational unit.  
                                                                                 (Replaced by new definition    
                                                                                 from Pub. L. 105-17, entitled, 
                                                                                 ``Educational service          
                                                                                 agency.'')                     
300.11................................  300.17................................  Local educational agency.       
300.12................................  300.18................................  Native language.                
300.13................................  300.19................................  Parent.                         
300.14................................  300.20................................  Public agency.                  
300.15................................  300.21................................  Qualified.                      
300.16................................  300.22................................  Related service.                
300.17................................  300.24................................  Special education.              
300.18................................  300.27................................  Transition services.            
                                                                                                                
                                                                                Subpart B--State Plans and [LEA]
                                                                                  Applications (Retitled ``State
                                                                                     and Local Eligibility'')   
                                                                                                                
                                                                                 State Plans--General (Retitled 
                                                                                 ``State Eligibility--General'')
                                                                                                                
300.110...............................  300.110...............................  Condition of assistance.        
300.111...............................    ....................................  Contents of plans.              
                                                                                 State Plans--Contents (Retitled
                                                                                  ``State Eligibility--Specific 
                                                                                          Conditions'')         
                                                                                                                
300.121...............................  300.121...............................  Right to a free appropriate     
                                                                                 public education. (Retitled    
                                                                                 ``Free appropriate public      
                                                                                 education'' (FAPE).            
300.122...............................  300.122...............................  Timelines and ages for free     
                                                                                 appropriate public education.  
                                                                                 (Retitled ``Exception to FAPE  
                                                                                 for certain ages.'')           
300.123...............................  300.123...............................  Full educational opportunity    
                                                                                 goal (FEOG).                   
300.124...............................  ......................................  [Reserved].                     
300.125...............................  300.124...............................  FEOG--Timetable.                
300.126...............................  ......................................  FEOG--Facilities, personnel, and
                                                                                 services.                      
300.127...............................  ......................................  Priorities.                     
300.128...............................  300.125...............................  Identification, location, and   
                                                                                 evaluation of children with    
                                                                                 disabilities.                  
300.129...............................  300.127...............................  (Retitled ``child find.'')      
                                                                                 Confidentiality of personally  
                                                                                 identifiable information.      

[[Page 55131]]

                                                                                                                
300.130...............................  300.128...............................  Individualized education        
                                                                                 programs.                      
300.131...............................  300.129...............................  Procedural safeguards.          
300.132...............................  300.130...............................  Least restrictive environment.  
300.133...............................  300.126...............................  Protection in evaluation        
                                                                                 procedures. (Retitled          
                                                                                 ``Procedures for evaluation and
                                                                                 determination of               
                                                                                 eligibility.'')                
300.134...............................  300.141...............................  Responsibility of [SEA] for all 
                                                                                 educational programs. (Retitled
                                                                                 ``SEA Responsibility for       
                                                                                 general supervision.'')        
300.135...............................  ......................................  [Reserved].                     
300.136...............................  300.143...............................  Implementation procedures--SEA. 
                                                                                 (Retitled ``SEA implementation 
                                                                                 of procedural safeguards.'')   
300.137...............................  300.148...............................  Procedures for consulation.     
                                                                                 (Retitled ``Public             
                                                                                 participation.'')              
300.138...............................  300.151...............................  Other Federal programs.         
300.139...............................  300.135...............................  Comprehensive system of         
                                                                                 personnel development.         
300.140...............................  300.133...............................  Private schools.                
300.141...............................  300.145...............................  Recovery of funds for           
                                                                                 misclassified children.        
300.142-143...........................  ......................................  [Reserved].                     
300.144...............................  300.144...............................  Hearing on application.         
                                                                                 (Retitled ``Hearings relating  
                                                                                 to LEA eligibility.'')         
300.145...............................  300.152...............................  Prohibition of commingling.     
300.146...............................  300.137...............................  Annual evaluation. (Replaced by 
                                                                                 new section from P.L. 105-17,  
                                                                                 entitled, ``Performance goals  
                                                                                 and indicators.'')             
300.147...............................  300.150...............................  State advisory panel.           
300.148...............................  300.155...............................  Policies and procedures for use 
                                                                                 of Part B funds.               
300.149...............................  300.156...............................  Description of use of Part B    
                                                                                 funds. (Retitled ``Annual      
                                                                                 description of use of Part B   
                                                                                 funds.'')                      
300.150...............................  300.153...............................  State-level nonsupplanting.     
300.151...............................  300.147...............................  Additional information if [SEA] 
                                                                                 provides direct services.      
300.152...............................  300.142...............................  Interagency agreements.         
                                                                                 (Retitled ``Methods of ensuring
                                                                                 services.'')                   
300.153...............................  300.136...............................  Personnel standards.            
300.154...............................  300.132...............................  Transition of individuals from  
                                                                                 Part H to Part B. (Retitled    
                                                                                 ``Transition of children from  
                                                                                 Part C to preschool            
                                                                                 programs.'')                   
                                                                                                                
                                                                                    LEA Applications--General   
                                                                                  (Retitled ``LEA Eligibility-- 
                                                                                            General'')          
                                                                                                                
300.180...............................  300.180...............................  Submission of application.      
                                                                                 (Retitled ``Condition of       
                                                                                 assistance.'')                 
300.181...............................  ......................................  [Reserved].                     
300.182...............................  300.184...............................  The excess cost requirement.    
                                                                                 (Retitled ``Excess cost        
                                                                                 requirement.'')                
300.183...............................  300.185...............................  Meeting the excess cost         
                                                                                 requirement.                   
300.184...............................  ......................................  Excess costs--computation of    
                                                                                 minimum amount.                
300.185...............................  ......................................  Computation of excess costs--   
                                                                                 consolidated application.      
300.186...............................  ......................................  Excess costs--limitation on use 
                                                                                 of Part B funds.               
300.187-189...........................  300.186-189...........................  [Reserved].                     
300.190...............................  300.190...............................  Consolidated applications.      
                                                                                 (Retitled ``Joint establishment
                                                                                 of eligibility.'')             
300.191...............................  300.191...............................  [Reserved].                     
300.192...............................  300.192...............................  State regulation of consolidated
                                                                                 applications. (Retitled        
                                                                                 ``Requirements for establishing
                                                                                 eligibility.'')                
300.193...............................  300.197...............................  SEA approval; disapproval.      
                                                                                 (Retitled ``LEA and State      
                                                                                 agency compliance.'')          
300.194...............................  300.197...............................  Withholding. (Retitled ``LEA and
                                                                                 State agency compliance.'')    
                                                                                                                
                                                                                   LEA Applications--Contents   
                                                                                  (Retitled ``LEA Eligibility-- 
                                                                                      Specific Conditions'')    
                                                                                                                
300.220...............................  300.220...............................  Child identification.           
                                                                                 (Incorporated into a new       
                                                                                 requirement added by P.L. 105- 
                                                                                 17, entitled, ``Consistency    
                                                                                 with State policies.'')        
300.221...............................  300.220...............................  Confidentiality of personally   
                                                                                 identififable information.     
                                                                                 (Incorporated into a new       
                                                                                 requirement added by P.L. 105- 
                                                                                 17, entitled, ``Consistency    
                                                                                 with State policies.'')        
300.222...............................  300.220...............................  Full educational opportunity    
                                                                                 goal--timetable. (Incorporated 
                                                                                 into a new requirement added by
                                                                                 P.L. 105-17, entitled,         
                                                                                 ``Consistency with State       
                                                                                 policies.'')                   
300.223...............................  ......................................  Facilities, personnel, and      
                                                                                 services.                      
300.224...............................  300.221...............................  Personnel development.          
300.225...............................  ......................................  Priorities.                     
300.226...............................  ......................................  Parent involvement.             
300.227...............................  300.220...............................  Participation in regular        
                                                                                 education programs.            
                                                                                 (Incorporated into a new       
                                                                                 requirement added by P.L. 105- 
                                                                                 17, entitled, ``Consistency    
                                                                                 with State policies.'')        
300.228...............................  ......................................  [Reserved].                     
300.229...............................  300.230...............................  Excess cost. (Incorporated into 
                                                                                 a new requirement added by P.L.
                                                                                 105-17, entitled, ``Use of     
                                                                                 amounts.'')                    
300.230...............................  300.230...............................  Nonsupplanting. (Amended by P.L.
                                                                                 105-17, and incorporated into a
                                                                                 new requirement, entitled,     
                                                                                 ``Use of amounts.'')           
300.231...............................  ......................................  Comparable services.            
300.232-234...........................    ....................................  [Reserved].                     
300.235...............................  300.220...............................  [IEPs]. (Incorporated into a new
                                                                                 requirement added by P.L. 105- 
                                                                                 17, entitled, ``Consistency    
                                                                                 with State policies.'')        

[[Page 55132]]

                                                                                                                
300.236...............................    ....................................  [Reserved].                     
300.237...............................  300.220...............................  Procedural safeguards.          
                                                                                 (Incorporated into a new       
                                                                                 requirement added by P.L. 105- 
                                                                                 17, entitled, ``Consistency    
                                                                                 with State policies.'')        
300.238...............................    ....................................  Use of Part B funds.            
300.239...............................    ....................................  [Reserved].                     
300.240...............................  300.240...............................  Other requirements. (Comparable 
                                                                                 to a provision added by P.L.   
                                                                                 105-17, entitled, ``Information
                                                                                 for SEA.'')                    
                                                                                                                
                                                                                  Application From Secretary of 
                                                                                      the Interior (Retitled    
                                                                                  ``Secretary of the Interior-- 
                                                                                          Eligibility'')        
                                                                                                                
300.260...............................  300.260...............................  Submission of application;      
                                                                                 approval. (Retitled,           
                                                                                 ``Submission of information.'')
300.261...............................  300.261...............................  Public participation.           
300.262...............................  300.262...............................  Use of Part B funds.            
300.263...............................  300.267...............................  Applicable regulations.         
                                                                                                                
                                                                                      Public Participation      
                                                                                                                
300.280...............................  300.280...............................  Public hearings before adopting 
                                                                                 a State plan. (Retitled        
                                                                                 ``Public hearings before       
                                                                                 adopting State policies and    
                                                                                 procedures.'')                 
300.281...............................  300.281...............................  Notice.                         
300.282...............................  300.282...............................  Opportunity to participate;     
                                                                                 comment period.                
300.283...............................  300.283...............................  Review of public comments before
                                                                                 adopting plan. (Retitled       
                                                                                 ``Review public comments before
                                                                                 adopting policies and          
                                                                                 procedures.'')                 
300.284...............................  300.284...............................  Publication and availability of 
                                                                                 approved plan. (Retitled       
                                                                                 ``Publication and availability 
                                                                                 of approved policies and       
                                                                                 procedures.'')                 
                                                                                                                
                                                                                       Subpart C--Services      
                                                                                                                
                                                                                     Free Appropriate Public    
                                                                                            Education           
                                                                                                                
300.300...............................  300.300...............................  Timelines for [FAPE]. (Retitled 
                                                                                 ``Provision of FAPE.'')        
300.301...............................  300.301...............................  FAPE--methods and payments.     
300.302...............................  300.302...............................  Residential placement.          
300.303...............................  300.303...............................  Proper functioning of hearing   
                                                                                 aids.                          
300.304...............................  300.304...............................  Full educational opportunity    
                                                                                 goal.                          
300.305...............................  300.305...............................  Program options.                
300.306...............................  300.306...............................  Nonacademic services.           
300.307...............................  300.307...............................  Physical education.             
300.308...............................  300.308...............................  Assistive technology.           
                                                                                                                
                                                                                 Priorities in the Use of Part B
                                                                                              Funds             
                                                                                                                
300.320...............................                                          Definitions of ``first priority 
                                                                                 children'' and ``second        
                                                                                 priority children.''           
300.321...............................  ......................................  Priorities.                     
300.322...............................  ......................................  [Reserved].                     
300.323...............................  ......................................  Services to other children.     
300.324...............................  ......................................  Application of local educational
                                                                                 agency to use funds for the    
                                                                                 second priority.               
                                                                                                                
                                                                                    Individualized Education    
                                                                                             Programs           
                                                                                                                
300.340...............................  300.340...............................  Definitions.                    
300.341...............................  300.341...............................  State educational agency        
                                                                                 responsibility.                
300.342...............................  300.342...............................  When individualized education   
                                                                                 programs must be in effect.    
300.343...............................  300.343...............................  Meetings.                       
300.344...............................  300.344...............................  Participants in meetings.       
                                                                                 (Retitled ``IEP Team.'')       
300.345...............................  300.345...............................  Parent participant.             
300.346...............................  300.347...............................  Content of individualized       
                                                                                 education program.             
300.347...............................  300.348...............................  Agency responsibilities for     
                                                                                 transition services.           
300.348...............................  300.349...............................  Private school placements by    
                                                                                 public agencies.               
300.349...............................  300.350...............................  Children with disabilities in   
                                                                                 parochial or other private     
                                                                                 schools. (Retitled ``Children  
                                                                                 with disabilities in religious 
                                                                                 affiliated or other private    
                                                                                 schools.'')                    
300.350...............................  300.351...............................  Individualized education        
                                                                                 program--accountability.       
                                                                                                                
                                                                                oi0Direct Service by the Sea    
                                                                                                                
300.360...............................  300.360...............................  Use of [LEA] allocation for     
                                                                                 direct services.               
300.361...............................  300.361...............................  Nature and location of services.
300.370...............................  300.370...............................  Use of State agency allocations.
300.371...............................  ......................................  State matching.                 
300.372...............................  300.372...............................  Applicability of nonsupplanting 
                                                                                 requirement.                   
                                                                                                                
                                                                                oi0Comprehensive System of      
                                                                                 Personnel Development          
                                                                                                                
300.380...............................  300.380...............................  General.                        
300.381...............................  300.381...............................  Adequate supply of qualified    
                                                                                 personnel.                     
300.382...............................  ......................................  Personnel preparation and       
                                                                                 continuing education.          
300.383...............................  ......................................  Data system on personnel and    
                                                                                 personnel development.         

[[Page 55133]]

                                                                                                                
300.384-387...........................  300.383-387...........................  [Reserved].                     
                                                                                                                
                                                                                   Subpart D--Private Schools   
                                                                                                                
                                                                                  Children with Disabilities in 
                                                                                    Private Schools Placed or   
                                                                                   Referred by Public Agencies  
                                                                                                                
300.400...............................  300.400...............................  Applicability of Secs. 300.400- 
                                                                                 300.402.                       
300.401...............................  300.401...............................  Responsibility of State         
                                                                                 educational agency.            
300.402...............................  300.402...............................  Implementation by State         
                                                                                 educational agency.            
300.403...............................  300.403...............................  Placement of children by        
                                                                                 parents.                       
                                                                                                                
                                                                                   Children With Disabilities   
                                                                                   Enrolled by Their Parents in 
                                                                                         Private Schools        
                                                                                                                
300.450...............................  300.450...............................  Definition of ``private school  
                                                                                 children with disabilities.''  
300.451...............................  300.452...............................  [SEA] responsibility. (Retired  
                                                                                 ``Basic requirement-           
                                                                                 services'').                   
300.452...............................  300.453...............................  [LEA] responsibility. (Revised  
                                                                                 based on P.L. 105-17, and      
                                                                                 retitled ``Expenditures.'')    
                                                                                                                
                                                                                     Procedures for By-Pass     
                                                                                                                
300.480...............................  300.480...............................  By-pass--general.               
300.481...............................  300.481...............................  Provisions for services under a 
                                                                                 by-pass.                       
300.482...............................  300.482...............................  Notice of intent to implement a 
                                                                                 by-pass.                       
300.483...............................  300.483...............................  Request to show cause.          
300.484...............................  300.484...............................  Show cause hearing.             
300.485...............................  300.485...............................  Decision.                       
300.486...............................  300.486...............................  Filing requirements.            
300.487...............................  300.487...............................  Judicial review.                
                                                                                Subpart E--Procedural Safeguards
                                                                                                                
                                                                                   Due Process Procedures for   
                                                                                       Parents and Children     
                                                                                                                
300.500...............................  3300.500..............................  Definitions of ``consent'',     
                                                                                 ``evaluation'', and            
                                                                                 ``personally identifiable''.   
                                                                                 (Combined Secs.  300.500 and   
                                                                                 300.501, and retitled ``General
                                                                                 responsibility of public       
                                                                                 agencies; definitions.'')      
300.501...............................  300.500...............................  General responsibility of public
                                                                                 agencies. (Combined Secs.      
                                                                                 300.500 and 300.501, and       
                                                                                 retitled ``General             
                                                                                 responsibility of public       
                                                                                 agencies; definitions.'')      
300.502...............................  300.501...............................  Opportunity to examine records. 
300.503...............................  300.502...............................  Independent educational         
                                                                                 evaluation.                    
300.504...............................  300.503...............................  Prior notice; parent consent.   
                                                                                 (Retitled ``Prior notice by the
                                                                                 public agency; content of      
                                                                                 notice.'')                     
300.505...............................  300.503...............................  Content of notice. (Retitled    
                                                                                 ``Prior notice by the public   
                                                                                 agency; content of notice.'')  
300.506...............................  300.507...............................  Impartial due process hearing.  
                                                                                 (Retitled ``Impartial due      
                                                                                 process hearing; parent notice;
                                                                                 disclosure.'')                 
300.507...............................  300.508...............................  Impartial hearing officer.      
300.508...............................  300.509...............................  Hearing rights.                 
300.509...............................  300.510...............................  Hearing decision; appeal.       
                                                                                 (Combined Secs.  300.509 and   
                                                                                 300.510, and retitled          
                                                                                 ``Finality of decision; appeal;
                                                                                 impartial review.'')           
300.510...............................  300.510...............................  Administrative appeal; impartial
                                                                                 review. (Combined Secs.        
                                                                                 300.509 and 300.510, and       
                                                                                 retitled ``Finality of         
                                                                                 decision; appeal; impartial    
                                                                                 review.'')                     
300.511...............................  300.512...............................  Civil action.                   
300.512...............................  300.511...............................  Timeless and convenience of     
                                                                                 hearings and reviews.          
300.513...............................  300.514...............................  Child's status during           
                                                                                 proceedings.                   
300.514...............................  300.515...............................  Surrogate parents.              
300.515...............................  300.513...............................  Attorneys' fees.                
                                                                                                                
                                                                                    Protection in Evaluation    
                                                                                       Procedures (Retitled     
                                                                                 ``Procedures for Evaluation and
                                                                                 Determination of Eligibility'')
                                                                                                                
300.530...............................  300.530...............................  General.                        
300.531...............................  300.531...............................  Preplacement evaluation.        
                                                                                 (Retitled ``Initial            
                                                                                 evaluation.'')                 
300.532...............................  300.532...............................  Evaluation procedures.          
300.533...............................  300.534-35............................  Placement procedures. (Replaced 
                                                                                 by Sec.  300.534               
                                                                                 (``Determination of            
                                                                                 eligibility'') and Sec.        
                                                                                 300.535 (``Procedures for      
                                                                                 determining eligibility.'')    
300.534...............................  300.536...............................  Reevaluation.                   
                                                                                                                
                                                                                    Additional Procedures for   
                                                                                     Evaluating Children With   
                                                                                  Specific Learning Disabilities
                                                                                                                
300.540...............................  300.540...............................  Additional team members.        
300.541...............................  300.541...............................  Criteria for determining the    
                                                                                 existence of a specific        
                                                                                 learning disability.           
300.542...............................  300.542...............................  Observation.                    
300.543...............................  300.543...............................  Written report.                 
                                                                                                                
                                                                                  Least Restrictive Environment 
                                                                                                                
300.550...............................  300.550...............................  General.                        
300.551...............................  300.551...............................  Continuum of alternative        
                                                                                 placements.                    
300.552...............................  300.552...............................  Placements.                     
300.553...............................  300.553...............................  Nonacademic settings.           
300.554...............................  300.554...............................  Children in public or private   
                                                                                 institutions.                  

[[Page 55134]]

                                                                                                                
300.555...............................  300.555...............................  Technical assistance and        
                                                                                 training activities.           
300.556...............................  300.556...............................  Monitoring activities.          
                                                                                                                
                                                                                  Confidentially of Information 
                                                                                                                
300.560...............................  300.560...............................  Definitions.                    
300.561...............................  300.561...............................  Notice to parents.              
300.562...............................  300.562...............................  Access rights.                  
300.563...............................  300.563...............................  Record of access.               
300.564...............................  300.564...............................  Records on more than one child. 
300.565...............................  300.565...............................  List of types and location of   
                                                                                 information.                   
300.566...............................  300.566...............................  Fees.                           
300.567...............................  300.567...............................  Amendment of records at parent's
                                                                                 request.                       
300.568...............................  300.568...............................  Opportunity for a hearing.      
300.569...............................  300.569...............................  Result of hearing.              
300.570...............................  300.570...............................  Hearing procedures.             
300.571...............................  300.571...............................  Consent.                        
300.572...............................  300.572...............................  Safeguards.                     
300.573...............................  300.573...............................  Destruction of information.     
300.574...............................  300.574...............................  Children's rights.              
300.575...............................  300.575...............................  Enforcement.                    
300.576...............................  300.577...............................  Department. (Retitled           
                                                                                 ``Department use of personally 
                                                                                 identifiable information.'')   
                                                                                                                
                                                                                      Department Procedures     
                                                                                                                
300.580...............................  ......................................  [Reserved].                     
300.581...............................  300.581...............................  Disapproval of a State plan.    
                                                                                 (Combined Secs.  300.581 and   
                                                                                 300.582, and retitled ``Notice 
                                                                                 and hearing before determining 
                                                                                 that a State is not            
                                                                                 eligible.'')                   
300.582...............................  300.581...............................  Content of notice. (Combined    
                                                                                 Secs.  300.581 and 300.582, and
                                                                                 retitled ``Notice and hearing  
                                                                                 before determining that a State
                                                                                 is not eligible.'')            
300.583...............................  300.582...............................  Hearing Official or Panel.      
300.584...............................  300.583...............................  Hearing procedures.             
300.585...............................  300.584...............................  Initial decision; final         
                                                                                 decision.                      
300.586...............................  300.585...............................  Filing requirements.            
300.587...............................  300.586...............................  Judicial review.                
300.588...............................  ......................................  [Reserved].                     
300.589...............................  300.589...............................  Waiver of requirement regarding 
                                                                                 supplementing and supplanting  
                                                                                 with Part B funds.             
                                                                                                                
                                                                                 Subpart F--State Administration
                                                                                                                
                                                                                             General            
                                                                                                                
300.600...............................  300.600...............................  Responsibility for all          
                                                                                 educational programs.          
300.601...............................  300.601...............................  Relation of Part B to other     
                                                                                 Federal programs.              
                                                                                                                
                                                                                          Use of Funds          
                                                                                                                
300.620...............................  300.620...............................  Federal funds for State         
                                                                                 administration. (Retitled ``Use
                                                                                 of funds for State             
                                                                                 administration.'')             
300.621...............................  300.621...............................  Allowable costs.                
                                                                                                                
                                                                                      State Advisory Panel      
                                                                                                                
300.650...............................  300.650...............................  Establishment (Retitled         
                                                                                 ``Establishment of advisory    
                                                                                 panels.'')                     
300.6651..............................  300.651...............................  Membership.                     
300.652...............................  300.652...............................  Advisory panel functions.       
300.653...............................  300.653...............................  Advisory panel procedures.      
                                                                                                                
                                                                                   State Complaint Procedures   
                                                                                                                
300.660...............................  300.660...............................  Adoption of State complaint     
                                                                                 procedures.                    
300.661...............................  300.661...............................  Minimum State complaint         
                                                                                 procedures.                    
300.662...............................  300.662...............................  Filing a complaint.             
                                                                                                                
                                                                                 Subpart G--Allocation of Funds;
                                                                                             Reports            
                                                                                                                
                                                                                           Allocations          
                                                                                                                
300.700...............................  300.700...............................  Special definition of the term  
                                                                                 State.                         
300.701...............................  300.701...............................  State entitlement; formula.     
                                                                                 (Retitled ``Grants to          
                                                                                 States.'')                     
300.702...............................  300.704...............................  [Reserved].                     
300.703...............................  300.705...............................  [Reserved].                     
300.704...............................  300.708...............................  Hold harmless provision.        
                                                                                 (Comparable, in part, to Sec.  
                                                                                 300.708 (``Limitations'').     
300.705...............................  300.710...............................  Allocation for State in which by-
                                                                                 pass is implemented for private
                                                                                 school children with           
                                                                                 disabilities.                  
300.706...............................  300.703...............................  Within-State distribution:      
                                                                                 Fiscal Year 1979 and after.    
                                                                                 (Comparable, in part, to Sec.  
                                                                                 300.703 (``Allocations to      
                                                                                 States.''), which sets out the 
                                                                                 formula added by Public Law 105-
                                                                                 17).                           
300.707...............................  300.711-712...........................  Local educational agency        
                                                                                 entitlement; formula. (Retitled
                                                                                 ``Subgrants to local           
                                                                                 educational agencies'')        
                                                                                 (Retitled ``Allocation to local
                                                                                 educational agencies.'')       

[[Page 55135]]

                                                                                                                
300.708...............................  300.714...............................  Reallocation of [LEA] funds.    
300.709...............................  300.715...............................  Payments to the Secretary of the
                                                                                 Interior for the education of  
                                                                                 Indian children.               
300.710...............................  300.716...............................  Payments to the Secretary of the
                                                                                 Interior for Indian tribes or  
                                                                                 tribal organizations. (Retitled
                                                                                 ``Payments for education and   
                                                                                 services for Indian children   
                                                                                 with disabilities aged 3       
                                                                                 through 5.'')                  
300.711...............................  300.716...............................  Entitlements to jurisdictions.  
                                                                                 (Replaced by Secs.  300.717    
                                                                                 (``Outlying areas and freely   
                                                                                 associated States.'') and      
                                                                                 300.718 (``Outlying area--     
                                                                                 definition.'')                 
                                                                                                                
                                                                                             Reports            
                                                                                                                
300.750...............................  300.750...............................  Annual report of children       
                                                                                 served--report requirement.    
300.751...............................  300.751...............................  Annual report of children       
                                                                                 served--information required in
                                                                                 the report.                    
300.752...............................  300.752...............................  Annual report of children       
                                                                                 served--certification.         
300.753...............................  300.753...............................  Annual report of children       
                                                                                 served--criteria for counting  
                                                                                 children.                      
300.754...............................  300.754...............................  Annual report of children       
                                                                                 served--other responsibilities 
                                                                                 of [SEA].                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The purpose of this table is to assist each reader to find where a given section number in the current      
  regulations is located in this NPRM. The table does not include (1) any new regulatory provisions that have   
  been added as a result of the IDEA Amendments of 1997, or (2) any other new area on which the Secretary is    
  proposing to regulate.                                                                                        

[FR Doc. 97-28006 Filed 10-22-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P