One purpose of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act) and the Utah State Board of Education Special Education Rules is to ensure that students with disabilities, age 3 through 21 have available to them a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services, as specified on an Individualized Education Program (IEP).There are thirteen areas of eligibility:

1. Autism

2. Deaf-blindness

3. Developmental Delay

4. Emotional Disturbance

5. Hearing Impairment/Deafness

6. Intellectual Disability

7. Multiple Disabilities

8. Orthopedic Impairment

9. Other Health Impairment

10. Specific Learning Disabilities

11. Speech/Language Impairment

12. Traumatic Brain Injury

13. Visual Impairment (Including Blindness)

• Referrals are made either by a parent or an LEA (Local Education Agency).

• Parental consent is obtained for evaluation.

• Then, initial evaluation takes place. Each area of eligibility has criteria to be met. Students are to be evaluated only in the suspected areas of disability and are given a multiple measures (formal and informal).

• The IEP team required members are the parent of the student, an LEA representative, a general education teacher, a special education teacher, and a person who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results. The parent and/or LEA may invite other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the student. Whenever appropriate, the student with a disability should attend.

• A student is determined eligible if a group of qualified professionals and the parent determine that the student is a student with a disability and requires specialized instruction.

• Lack of instruction and/or limited English proficiency are not considered disabilities.