The federal Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities, which is Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), is a grant program that aids states’ provision of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities, ages birth through 2 years.
Under IDEA Part C, states provide services to children who are experiencing developmental delays, and children who have been diagnosed with a mental or physical condition putting them at high risk for developmental delay. States vary in their eligibility criteria for Part C services, and in their inclusion of “at-risk infants and toddlers” and/or their way of defining “at-risk infants and toddlers.” Among states that have included “at-risk” as part of their eligibility criteria, these conditions may include established risk, biological or medical risk, or environmental risk.
States reported whether their Part C eligibility criteria include “at-risk” children as eligible for IDEA Part C services and whether they serve “at-risk” children in their Annual Progress Reports. Section 618 data was used to cross-check whether states’ eligibility criteria include “at-risk” children.
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center. (2023). Part C of IDEA. http://ectacenter.org/partc/partc.asp#overview
Shackelford, J. (2002). State and jurisdictional eligibility definitions for infants and toddlers with disabilities under IDEA. NECTAC Notes. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED471884.pdf
Sources:
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). (2021). 2021 SPP/APR and State Determination Letters PART C. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/spp-apr-letters
U.S. Department of Education. (2021). IDEA Section 618 Data Products: State Level data files: Part C: 2019-20 child count and settings. https://www2.ed.gov/programs/osepidea/618-data/state-level-data-files/index.html#cccs