This OSEP memo clarifies actions that state and local educational agencies (SEA and LEA) must take to identify and act upon disproportionality of racial and ethnic groups in special education. The regulations state that the SEA must require any LEA identified as having significant disproportionality to reserve 15 percent of the flow-through funds under IDEA Part B to provide comprehensive CEIS to serve children not identified with disabilities. This document describes the differences between the requirements for significant disproportionality and CEIS and the requirements related to disproportionate representation as a result of inappropriate identification. See 20 U.S.C. §1416(a)(3)(C), 34 CFR §300.600(d)(3), and 34 CFR §300.646(b)(2).
Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS)
OSEP Memo 08-09: Coordinated Early Intervening Services under Part B of the IDEA
This OSEP memo clarifies the use of IDEA funds and other federal funds for CEIS, including the provision that requires the SEA to require the LEA to reserve the maximum amount of funds available for comprehensive CEIS if the SEA identifies significant disproportionality based on race or ethnicity. See 34 CFR §300.646(b)(2).
Letter to Andrejack
This letter to the Michigan Department of Education addresses three IDEA fiscal topics, two of which are maintenance of effort (MOE) and coordinated early intervening services (CEIS). The CEIS question asks about the possibility of reallocating CEIS funds not expended by an LEA. OSEP explains that the funds can only be used for the purposes stated in IDEA and any funds not expended by the LEA when required to expend them due to significant disproportionality would revert to the U. S. Department of Education at the end of the expenditure period for those funds.
Letter to Dale
This letter to the Division of Rehabilitation Services and Special Education at the University of Maine, Farmington, discusses the possible uses for CEIS funds including a tiered support system such as response to intervention (RTI) and funding teachers.
Methods for Assessing Racial/Ethnic Disproportionality in Special Education: A Technical Assistance Guide (Revised)
This technical assistance guide can be used by SEA staff members who analyze, interpret, and/or make decisions based on disproportionality data and analyses. This guide describes some of the more common methods for calculating disproportionality, summarizes the question each method answers, provides step-by-step examples of how disproportionality is calculated, and offers brief discussions on how to interpret the method and some considerations. It is intended to help SEA staff members determine which of their LEAs have significant disproportionality, data that are required as part of the EMAPS IDEA Part B MOE Reduction and CEIS data collection.
Navigating Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
This FAQ document developed by the OSEP-funded IDEA Data Center (IDC) focuses on helping SEAs and LEAs understand CEIS and its reporting requirements. These questions were developed to be used in conjunction with the OSEP Guidance Memo 08-09.
Spreadsheet Application for Calculating Disproportionality Measures and User’s Guide: Spreadsheet Application for Calculating Disproportionality Measures (Revised)
The Excel spreadsheet application and user’s guide are tools to help states in their assessments of racial/ethnic disproportionality in LEAs. The spreadsheet application calculates several disproportionality measures. The user’s guide includes an overview of the spreadsheet application, discussions on data requirements, instructions for using the spreadsheet application, and information on getting help with questions and/or problems. This resource complements IDC’s previously published technical assistance document, Methods for Assessing Racial/Ethnic Disproportionality in Special Education: A Technical Assistance Guide (Revised), which provides additional information about the measures calculated by the spreadsheet. This spreadsheet is intended to help SEA staff determine which of their LEAs have significant disproportionality based on data that are required as part of the EMAPS IDEA Part B MOE Reduction and CEIS data collection.
Federal Register, Vol. 81, No. 243, 34 CFR Part 300: Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities; Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities (Significant Disproportionality)
These final regulations on significant disproportionality, effective January 18, 2017, consist of an analysis of comments to the proposed regulations and changes to how states determine significant disproportionality and implement comprehensive CEIS based on significant disproportionality.
Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) Resources: Step by Step
Developed by CIFR, the Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) Resources: Step by Step is designed to help state and local educational agencies navigate the steps associated with planning for, providing, and tracking comprehensive or voluntary CEIS. For each CEIS step, the interactive organizer provides links to TA Centers, tools, and resources that may assist users to understand and implement that step. Pay particular attention to the many helpful resources created by the IDEA Data Center (IDC).
Quick Reference Guide on Coordinated Early Intervening Services
Updated to reflect 2016 changes in the IDEA Part B regulations on significant disproportionality, this three-page quick reference guide helps SEAs, LEAs, and stakeholders understand basic CEIS requirements stipulated in IDEA. Created by CIFR in collaboration with the IDEA Data Center, it describes the requirements for the provision of CEIS, the use of CEIS funds, the interaction of CEIS funds and LEA maintenance of effort reduction, and reporting obligations. It concludes with questions and additional resources for states to consider.