Guidance Documents
Special education involves specially designed instruction tailored to the unique needs of each child and is provided at no cost to parents. Below are documents that go into detail of the parameters of special education services in Iowa and guidance on how services are carried out throughout the state.
Heartland AEA Guidance
- Working Together for Children — An overview of how special education services are requested and delivered in the Heartland AEA area — includes answers to some common questions and addresses some of the day-to-day procedures for parents and teachers.
- Age of Majority — An overview of what students who reach age 18 should expect if they receive special education services and are served on an individualized education plan (IEP).
State of Iowa Guidance
- Special Education Procedures — Procedures written by special education professionals from Iowa’s AEAs that describe legally compliant special education procedures to communicate clear expectations across the state.
- Release Notes (July 2021) — A summary of changes made to the Special Education Procedures.
- Iowa Administrative Rules of Special Education — Regulations of special education according to the Iowa Administrative Code.
- Parental Rights Summary — A summary of parental rights that is fully documented in the Procedural Safeguards for Parents.
- Procedural Safeguards for Parents — An overview of parental rights through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Iowa Administrative Rules of Special Education (also available in Arabic, Bosnian, Laotian, Serbo Croatian, Spanish and Vietnamese).
Note that the most up-to-date documents can always be found on the Iowa IDEA Information (i3) website.