The Indiana Department of Education's (IDOE) Office of Special Education is committed to ensuring that all students with disabilities in Indiana have equal access to educational opportunities. By aligning with IDOE's three pillars, the Office of Special Education aims to improve educational outcomes for students, support educators, and enhance system alignment statewide.
Vision
The vision of IDOE's Office of Special Education is closely tied to IDOE's overall mission. The goal is to create a cohesive and supportive environment that fosters high-quality education for all students, particularly those with disabilities.
Goals
To achieve this vision, the Office of Special Education has outlined several key goals:
- Develop innovative, differentiated, and proactive solutions for students, educators, and systems.
- Promote high-quality student learning and environments, as measured by improvements in the State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR).
- Achieve measurable growth in statewide assessments like ILEARN and I AM for students with disabilities.
- Increase the number of students with disabilities graduating with at least a Core 40 or General Diploma.
- Boost the number of students with disabilities entering postsecondary education or competitive, integrated employment.
Overview of Integrated Monitoring
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that states make annual determinations about the performance of each Local Education Agency (LEA). Indiana's approach focuses on improving results and functional outcomes for students with disabilities through a system known as Results Driven Accountability (RDA).
Results Driven Accountability
Indiana's RDA System ensures LEAs comply with IDEA requirements by analyzing data related to 17 Indicators defined by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Each LEA receives an annual determination that indicates the level of compliance and the necessary support to improve performance.
Indicators
The RDA system includes both results and compliance indicators, categorized and weighted to provide a comprehensive performance score for each LEA.
Results Indicators
Results indicators are essential for evaluating the educational outcomes of students with disabilities. The primary indicators include:
- Graduation Rate (25%)
- Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for school-age students (20%)
- Assessment proficiency and growth in ELA and Math, as well as IREAD-3 proficiency and I AM participation (55%)
Compliance Indicators
Compliance indicators ensure that LEAs adhere to federal and state regulations. These include:
- Suspension/Expulsion rates (12.5%)
- Disproportionate representation in special education (12.5%)
- Initial evaluations and secondary transitions (12.5% each)
- Continued and longstanding noncompliance (10% and 15% respectively)
RDA Determinations
Based on their performance, LEAs are categorized into one of four determination levels:
- Meets Requirements
- Needs Assistance
- Needs Intervention
These categories help determine the level of support and technical assistance each LEA requires to improve their performance.
Differentiated Level of Support
LEAs are placed into different levels of support based on their final Results Index. The top 75% receive Level 1 support, the next 20% receive Level 2, and the remaining 5% receive Level 3 support.
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