Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities (Part C of IDEA)

Part C of IDEA topic editors: Joan Danaher and Sue Goode

TA Agenda:

New Coordinator Initiative for State Coordinators (in collaboration with OSEP, RRCs and ITCA)

Most recent additions to this page:

Part C Grant Award Letters and Funding Tables, Fiscal Year 2010 (posted July 30, 2010)

2010 Part C State Determination Letters - The Office of Special Education Programs' responses to the States' Part C SPPs and APRs - Grant Year 2008-2009 (posted June 9, 2010)

2010 State Determinations on the Implementation of the IDEA for Part B and Part C for FY 2008 (June 1, 2010) (PDF: 35kb)

MD and NM Plans for Extended Part C Option (PDF: 583kb) April 2010 Newsletter from the IDEA Infant & Toddler Coordinators Association (ITCA)

Part C SPP/APR 2009 Indicator Analyses: FFY 2007-2008 (2009) (PDF: 1331kb) (posted March 18, 2010)

Part C Appropriations and Child Count 1987-2010 (PDF: 136kb) (2010) (posted March 16, 2010)

Overview

Overview to the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities (Part C) under IDEA

Minimum Components required under IDEA of a statewide, comprehensive system of early intervention services

Lead Agencies for the Part C Early Intervention Program in each state and participating jurisdiction

National Program Data - Annual federal appropriations and number of children served (updated March 10, 2010) - See also, Part C Appropriations and Child Count 1987-2010 (2010).

Data Tables - Section 618 of IDEA requires states to annually collect and report data for Part C: child count, settings for early intervention services, numbers of and reasons for children exiting services, counts of services and service categories. Data is also shown by race/ethnicity. For state rankings on selected Part C data elements, see State Rank-Ordered Tables.

Federal Law and Regulations

IDEA 2004 Statute (P.L. 108-446) for Part C

On January 16, 2009, the Proposed Regulations for Part C of IDEA 2004 (2007) (PDF: 434kb) ) were withdrawn by the U.S. Department of Education and are presently under review. An OSEP memo dated January 28, 2009 (DOC: 52kb) to all State Part C Coordinators on procedures for receiving a FFY 2009 grant award under IDEA 2004, states the following:

"Although the draft final Part C regulations were withdrawn by the Department on Friday, January 16, 2009, States are required to ensure that their State policies, including statutes and regulations, are consistent with the Part C requirements in 20 U.S.C. §§1401 et seq., as amended in 2004, and all applicable regulations in 34 CFR Part 303".

DEC's Final Comments on Proposed IDEA Part C Regulations (July 23, 2007) (PDF: 123kb)

Early Intervention Family Alliance Side-by-Side Comparison of Proposed IDEA 2004 Part C Regulations (PDF: 56kb) (posted June 3, 2007)

Side-by-Side comparison of the current IDEA Part C regulations to the 2007 proposed Part C regulations prepared by ITCA, DEC and CEC (posted May 17, 2007)

States' Part C Rules, Regulations and Policies

NECTAC has collected a list of links to states' rules, regulations and policies for implementing Part C of IDEA. If your state has similar resources available online, please contact Sue Goode to add them to our list.

Part C Contacts

State Part C Program Coordinators List — Contact information for the coordinator of the Early Intervention Program under IDEA in each state and participating jurisdiction

ICC Chairs List — Contact information for the chairperson(s) of each state's Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) under Part C of IDEA

IDEA Infant & Toddler Coordinators Association

Part C SPP/APRs

2010 Part C State Determination Letters - The Office of Special Education Programs' responses to the States' Part C SPPs and APRs - Grant Year 2008-2009 (posted June 9, 2010)

2010 State Determinations on the Implementation of the IDEA for Part B and Part C for FY 2008 (June 1, 2010) (PDF: 35kb)

Part C SPP/APR 2009 Indicator Analyses: FFY 2007-2008 (2009) (PDF: 1331kb) (posted March 9, 2010)

Indicator 1 — Early Intervention Services in a Timely Manner
Indicator 2 — Settings
Indicator 3 — Early Childhood Outcomes
Indicator 4 — Family Capacity
Indicator 5 — Child Find Birth to One
Indicator 6 — Child Find Birth to Three
Indicator 7 — 45-day Timeline
Indicator 8 — Part C to Part B Transition
Indicator 9 — General Supervision (Timely Correction)
Indicators 10, 11, 12, 13 — Dispute Resolution System Functions and Activities
Indicator 14 — Accurate and Timely Data

Part C Verification Visit Letters - Letters from OSEP to states and entities on the results of visits made to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of their general supervision, assessment and data collection systems (Systems Verification). (updated January 28, 2010)

Part C State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR) Information Collection 1820-0578 for February 2009 submission - Expiration Date: 12/31/2009 (posted August 28, 2008)

Technical Assistance Resources on the Part C SPP/APR Indicators and Determinations to assist States in their improvement efforts (posted August 28, 2008)

2008 OSERS - OSEP Part B and C State Monitoring and Formula Grants

Part C State Grants

2010 Part C Formula Grant Award Application Package - Information Collection 1820-0550 - Part C Applications due May 10, 2010 - Expiration Date: 08/31/2012 (posted November 11, 2009)

Part C Grant Award Letters and Funding Tables, Fiscal Year 2010 (posted July 30, 2010)

Regulations regarding public comment for Part C applications (Sec 303.110) (posted February 19, 2008)

NECTAC Publications Related to the Early Intervention Program

Part C Updates (2008) (PDF: 4000kb)
State and Jurisdictional Eligibility Definitions for Infants and Toddlers With Disabilities Under IDEA (2006)

Reports from The National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study (NEILS)

NEILS
Early Intervention for Infants & Toddlers with Disabilities and their Families: Participants, Services, and Outcomes (2007) (PDF: 2458kb)
NEILS Expenditure Study (2004) (PDF: 2063kb)
Family Outcomes at the End of Early Intervention (2004) (PDF: 2704kb)

Overview to the Part C Program Under IDEA

Congress established this program in 1986 in recognition of "an urgent and substantial need" to:

enhance the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities;
reduce educational costs by minimizing the need for special education through early intervention;
minimize the likelihood of institutionalization, and maximize independent living; and,
enhance the capacity of families to meet their child's needs.

The Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities (Part C of IDEA) is a federal grant program that assists states in operating a comprehensive statewide program of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities, ages birth through age 2 years, and their families. In order for a state to participate in the program it must assure that early intervention will be available to every eligible child and its family. Also, the governor must designate a lead agency to receive the grant and administer the program, and appoint an Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC), including parents of young children with disabilities, to advise and assist the lead agency. Currently, all states and eligible territories are participating in the Part C program. Annual funding to each state is based upon census figures of the number of children, birth through 2, in the general population.

On December 3, 2004, President Bush signed legislation reauthorizing IDEA. Please see our Web page on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The current statute and regulations (see also proposed regulations (PDF: 434kb) ) for Part C contain many requirements states have to meet, including specifying the minimum components of comprehensive statewide early intervention system. States have some discretion in setting the criteria for child eligibility, including whether or not to serve at risk children. As a result, definitions of eligibility (PDF: 207kb) differ significantly from state to state. States also differ concerning which state agency has been designated "lead agency" for the Part C program. In fact, statewide early intervention systems differ in many ways from state to state.

Links on this site are verified monthly. This page content was last reviewed on 07/30/2010.