At a glance: This guide provides an overview of the state Interagency Coordinating Councils under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
What is a state Interagency Coordinating Council?
Each state that receives IDEA Part C funds is required to have an Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) appointed by the governor. The IDEA regulations in 34 CFR §303.601 detail the membership requirements of the ICC. The composition of the ICC must reasonably represent the state. Notably, at least 20 percent of the members must be parents, and at least 20 percent must be providers of early intervention services. Other required members include representatives from the state legislature and from state-level agencies responsible for Medicaid, the regulation of private insurance, and state child welfare.
What does the state ICC do?
Under IDEA Part C, the state lead agency (LA) is required to “facilitate the coordination of payment for early intervention services from federal, state, local, and private sources” (34 CFR §303.1(b)). The ICC meets at least quarterly to advise and assist the state LA administering the Part C program in making financial and programmatic decisions that support a coordinated and effective early intervention system. See 34 CFR §303.604(b) and (c) for other responsibilities.
Specifically, the ICC provides input on the available sources of revenue that may be used for early intervention. These sources may include state funds, local funds, insurance (public or private), or funds from federal programs. The ICC also provides feedback and guidance to the state LA on the yearly grant budget. This is especially important when the state LA is experiencing either unanticipated additional funding or a funding shortfall.
Functions of the Council
“(a) Advising and assisting the lead agency. The Council must advise and assist the lead agency in the performance of its responsibilities in section 635(a)(10) of the Act, including:
- (1) Identification of sources of fiscal and other support for services for early intervention service programs under part C of the Act;
- (2) Assignment of financial responsibility to the appropriate agency;
- (3) Promotion of methods (including use of intra-agency and interagency agreements) for intra-agency and interagency collaboration regarding child find under §§303.115 and 303.302, monitoring under §303.120 and §§303.700 through 303.708, financial responsibility and provision of early intervention services under §§303.202 and 303.511, and transition under §303.209; and
- (4) Preparation of applications under this part and amendments to those applications.”
34 CFR §303.604(a)(1-4)
How can Part C funds be used to support the ICC work?
ICC members are generally expected to serve without compensation. As described in 34 CFR §303.603(a), an ICC may use IDEA Part C funds to conduct hearings and forums to obtain stakeholder feedback on changes that may potentially impact the budget. The ICC may also reimburse members for reasonable and necessary expenses for attending ICC meetings and performing their duties. Reimbursements may include transportation, lodging, meals, and childcare for parent members. If an ICC member is not employed or must forfeit wages from other employment when performing official business, the ICC may pay compensation for the member’s involvement using IDEA Part C funds. These provisions support the involvement of a wide variety of individuals, including families.
An ICC may also use funds to hire staff or obtain the services of professional, technical, and clerical personnel as may be necessary to carry out the performance of its functions. These professional services may help the ICC to maintain a level of independence from the state LA, allowing for objectivity in its advisory and assisting roles (e.g., independent strategic planning meeting facilitator).
Use of Funds by the Council
“(a) Subject to the approval by the Governor, the Council may use funds under this part to:
- (1) Conduct hearings and forums;
- (2) Reimburse members of the Council for reasonable and necessary expenses for attending Council meetings and performing Council duties (including childcare for parent representatives);
- (3) Pay compensation to a member of the Council if the member is not employed or must forfeit wages from other employment when performing official Council business;
- (4) Hire staff; and
- (5) Obtain the services of professional, technical, and clerical personnel as may be necessary to carry out the performance of its functions under part C of the Act.”
34 CFR §303.603(a)
Questions for states to consider
What level of fiscal knowledge is important for an ICC member to have?
To fully participate in budget discussions, ICC members must have a basic understanding of the funding of IDEA Part C services. A state LA may provide this foundational information as part of the orientation of new ICC members and reinforce the information at regularly scheduled ICC meetings.
When should staff request input from the ICC on the state Part C budget?
When preparing the grant budget for broad stakeholder feedback, state LA staff should seek ICC members’ input. Other opportunities for input may include when fiscal decisions need to be made about a funding surplus, a funding shortfall, or the movement of funds between line items. When extraneous factors, such as public health emergencies or natural disasters, impact funding, the ICC can help examine the actions the state LA might take to mitigate the effects. States with complex revenues and budgets may benefit from creating a fiscal subcommittee within the ICC to develop greater financial knowledge across stakeholders and to support compliance with federal requirements.
For more information, see CIFR's library of resources on Part C use of funds.
This resource was initially published in 2022, under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, #H373F200001. This page was last updated May 2026.
Suggested Citation: Center for IDEA Fiscal Reporting. (n.d.). Quick reference guide on the fiscal responsibilities of Part C state Interagency Coordinating Councils. WestEd. Retrieved [date], from https://cifr.wested.org/guide/quick-reference-guide-on-the-fiscal-responsibilities-of-part-c-state-interagency-coordinating-councils/
