The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) has found that 19 states, including New Jersey, met federal requirements under IDEA in the 2013-2014 school year. All other states were found to “need assistance” or “need intervention.”
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires the USDOE to evaluate states each year on their efforts to implement special education programs. If a state fails to meet requirements for two or more years, USDOE must take enforcement action, which can include a corrective action plan or withholding funds, among other steps.
In the past, states were assessed on measures of adherence to procedural requirements. For the second year in a row, officials are taking into account student performance and functional outcomes for students with disabilities. In addition to New Jersey, Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming were determined to “meet requirements.”
