Special Education Rules and Policies

Overview

Special Education is governed by several federal and State laws, rules, and regulations as well as local policy and procedure. The following tabs contain a non-exhaustive list of resources and links for schools, districts, parents, and students to learn more about the various sources of law that govern or inform Special Education Services.

Contact

Jordan DeHaan
Dispute Resolution Specialist
Phone: (801) 538-7541 | E-mail

Special Education Rules

Utah State Board of Education Special Education Rules (June 2023)
Effective June 2023

Utah

R277: Education, Administration
R277-800: Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (USDB)
Utah Office of Administrative Rules

Student Data Privacy
Utah State Board of Education

For information about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and student data privacy.

Federal

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Regulations
United States Department of Education

Model Policies and Procedures

Utah State Board of Education Model Special Education Policies and Procedures Manual Directions

Charter Schools Local Education Agencies (LEAs)
Revised 2023

Charter Special Education Policies and Procedures Manual Alternative Specific Learning Disability (SLD) Eligibility Method

Charter Special Education Policies and Procedures Manual Combination SLD Eligibility Method

Charter Special Education Policies and Procedures Manual Response to Intervention (RtI) SLD Eligibility Method

Public School District LEAs
Revised 2023

District Special Education Policies and Procedures Manual Alternative SLD Eligibility Method

District Special Education Policies and Procedures Manual Combination SLD Eligibility Method

District Special Education Policies and Procedures Manual RtI SLD Eligibility Method

Contacts

Jordan DeHaan
Dispute Resolution Specialist
Phone: (801) 538-7541 | E-mail

Leah Voorhies
Assistant Superintendent of Student Support State, Director of Special Education
Phone: (801) 538-7898 | E-mail

Resources

Educational Equity: Section 504

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 impose broader eligibility standards than those of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Therefore, a student not found eligible under the IDEA may still be eligible for special education or related services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act or Title II of the ADA.

Section 504
Utah State Board of Education Educational Equity

Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Guidance

OSEP policy documents provide information, guidance and clarification regarding implementation of the IDEA through Policy Support Documents and Policy Letters.

OSEP Policy Documents
United States Department of Education

Contacts

Jordan DeHaan
Dispute Resolution Specialist
Phone: (801) 538-7541 | E-mail

Holly Bell
Student and Family Rights Specialist
Phone: (801) 538-7828 | E-mail 

Technical Assistance

Educational Interpreters 

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team Membership

Service Animals in Schools: Legal Requirements and Technical Assistance

Contacts

Jordan DeHaan
Dispute Resolution Specialist
Phone: (801) 538-7541 | E-mail

LauraLee Gillespie
Utah Program Improvement Planning System (UPIPS) Coordinator
Phone: (801) 538-7866 | E-mail

Due Process Hearings

In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) Special Education Rules, the USBE, after deleting any personally identifiable information, must make complete due process findings and decisions are available to the public.

34 CFR § 300.513: Hearing Decisions
United States Government Publishing Office (GPO)

The USBE maintains redacted copies of due process decisions for a period of ten years following the issuance of a decision. There are no due process hearings decisions or findings during the following years: 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020.

Contact

Jordan DeHaan
Dispute Resolution Specialist
Phone: (801) 538-7541 | E-mail

Jessica Lamb
Dispute Resolution and At-Risk Specialist
Phone: (385) 295-7873 | E-mail

Procedural Safeguards

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) Special Education Rights of Parents and Children Procedural Safeguards Notice and Annual Parent/Guardian Notices (Child Find, Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act [FERPA] of 1974, and Medicaid).

English 

Procedural Safeguards Notice
Summary Procedural Safeguards Overview

Spanish 

Notificación Sobre Garantías Procesales (Procedural Safeguards Notice – Spanish)
Garantías Procesales (Summary Procedural Safeguards Overview – Spanish)

Arabic 

إشعار الضمانات الإجرائیة (Procedural Safeguards Notice – Arabic)
الضمانات الإجرائیة (Summary Procedural Safeguards Overview – Arabic)

Farsi 

اطلاعیھ پادمانھای رویھای (Procedural Safeguards Notice – Farsi)
پادمانھا ی رویھای (Summary Procedural Safeguards Overview – Farsi)

French 

Avis de Garanties Procédural (Procedural Safeguards Notice – French)
Garanties Procédurales (Summary Procedural Safeguards Overview – French)

Italian 

Informativa Sulle Tutele Procedurali (Procedural Safeguards Notice – Italian)
Tutele Procedurali (Summary Procedural Safeguards Overview – Italian)

Marshallese 

Kōjjelā Kōn Laajrak In Wāween Kōjparok (Procedural Safeguards Notice – Marshallese)
Laajrak in Wāween Kōjparok (Summary Procedural Safeguards Overview – Marshallese)

Navajo 

Bee ‘ádaa’ áháyá ‘Ak’ésti’ Binaaltsoos (Procedural Safeguards Notice – Navajo)
Bee ‘ádaa’ áháyá ‘Ak’ésti’ (Summary Procedural Safeguards Overview – Navajo)

Portuguese 

Notificação de Garantias Processuais (Procedural Safeguards Notice – Portuguese)
Garantias Processuais (Summary Procedural Safeguards Overview – Portuguese)

Somali 

Ogaysiiska Dhawritaanada Habraaceed (Procedural Safeguards Notice – Somali)
Dhawritaanada Habraaceed (Summary Procedural Safeguards Overview – Somali)

Tongan 

Fanongonongo ʻO E Ngaahi Founga Maluʻí (Procedural Safeguards Notice – Tongan)
Ngaahi Founga Ngāué (Summary Procedural Safeguards Overview – Tongan)

Vietnamese 

Thông Báo Các Biện Pháp Bảo Vệ Theo Thủ Tục (Procedural Safeguards Notice – Vietnamese)
Các Biện Pháp Bảo Vệ Theo Thủ Tục (Summary Procedural Safeguards Overview – Vietnamese)

Contact

Jordan DeHaan
Dispute Resolution Specialist
Phone: (801) 538-7541 | E-mail

Jessica Lamb
Dispute Resolution Specialist
Phone: (385) 295-7873 | E-mail