Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

IDEA 2004

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 may be accessed here

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) Part B regulations of the IDEA has been published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2006 and are available here

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 - Final Regulations

Additional Guidance on the IDEA

Advisory Regarding Changes in IDEA December 31, 2008

Additional information on the IDEA is available at

IDEA related resources from Ed.gov

Special Education and Homelessness

OSEP Guidance and Q & A

Rhode Island Special Education Regulations

Rhode Island Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education, Regulations Governing the Education of Children with Disabilities, Adopted June 3, 2010, Effective July 1, 2010.

Rhode Island Special Education Procedural Safeguards

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Regulations of the Rhode Island Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education Governing the Education of Children with Disabilities, require that schools provide the parents of a child with a disability a full explanation of the procedural safeguards (your rights) available under IDEA and R.I. Department of Education regulations when certain actions are taken. Click here for a copy of the Rhode Island Procedural Safeguards.

State Criteria for Specific Learning Disabilities

School Support System: A Collaborative System of Focused Monitoring

The School Support System (SSS) is being implemented by the Rhode Island Department of Education, Office of Student, Community and Academic Supports (RIDE/OSCAS), to improve outcomes for students with exceptionalities who receive special education services.  The SSS evaluates the quality and effectiveness of special education, and the extent to which the district/ (Local Education Agency) or the educational setting meets special education laws and regulations.  It emphasizes:
     •  Involving the whole school district/educational setting, including administrators,
           special and general educators, students and parents;
     •  gathering and analyzing information from multiple sources of information;
     •  conducting on site reviews, interviewing administrators and staff to focus on general
           and specific information on delivery of programs and services to students; and
     •  developing a School Support System Plan for strengthening programs and correcting
           essential areas in order to improve student performance.

The School Support System, is a collaborative system of focused monitoring. The Office of Student, Community and Academic Supports is aligned with federal IDEA legislation.  Moreover, the School Support System addresses the Comprehensive Education Strategy and the R.I. Student Investment Initiative.  These are state general education initiatives designed to close gaps in student performance and prepare students for the 21st century.  Hence, the School Support System is designed to align with best practice efforts and supports the following beliefs and assumptions:
     •  An assigned category or level of special need does not define the educational needs
           of students.
     •  To the maximum extent possible, students with exceptionalities are meaningfully
            included in the general education program.
     •  The curricula are based on standards that are sufficiently broad to support the
            learning needs of all students and include academic and skill areas.
     •  Individual Education Plans reflect state and local standards for student performance,
           incorporate varied assessments, and utilize a broad array of accommodations for
           testing and learning.
     •  A comprehensive system of professional training must support and encourage the
           involvement of all personnel in addressing the learning needs of students with the full
           range of abilities and exceptionalities.

The School Support System integrates multiple sources of information in order to develop a support plan that is directed at increasing student performance and is founded on proven practice. Moreover, the Rhode Island Department of Education, Office of Student, Community and Academic Supports seeks to create collegial and collaborative relationships with the school district/educational setting, thereby involving the entire district/educational setting in evaluating the quality of special education services.  As a result, the process delineates the district/educational setting’s strengths and needs, culminating in the development of a plan to improve service delivery. Our goal is to implement agreements and versification in a timely and systematic way to get corrective actions /support planning instituted in order to assure continuous high performance of all children.

School Support System Reports from recent public, charter and private school visits

Additional Information
     Susan Wood, Ph.D.
     Rhode Island Department of Education
     255 Westminster Street
     Providence, R.I. 02903-3400
     Office of Student, Community and Academic Supports
     Telephone (401) 222-8992
     Email: Susan.Wood@ride.ri.gov

Information on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act is available on the following page:  When Schools and Families Do Not Agree (Dispute Resolution Option)