Special Education

Indiana’s Special Education State Laws and Resources

Article 7

511 IAC 7-32 through 50, commonly referred to "Article 7," contains Indiana's special education rules. Article 7 includes the most recent updates as of May 2024. 

English
Spanish Version
Burmese

Navigating the Course

Navigating the Course: Finding Your Way through Indiana's Special Education Rules was written to provide an overview and a practical resource to help parents, advocates, school personnel, and students understand the requirements of Indiana’s special education rules, found in Article 7. The 2019 Spanish version of Orientación para el curso: Domine las normas sobre educación especial de Indiana is also available. This document is intended to serve as a companion guide to Article 7 and is not a substitute for Article 7. 

Notice of Procedural Safeguards

This document outlines the rights a parent of a child who has or may have a disability has under federal and state laws governing special education. 

• Arabic Notice of Procedural Safeguards
• Burmese Notice of Procedural Safeguards
• English Notice of Procedural Safeguards
• French Notice of Procedural Safeguards
• German Notice of Procedural Safeguards
• Japanese Notice of Procedural Safeguards
• Mandarin Notice of Procedural Safeguards
• Punjabi Notice of Procedural Safeguards
• Russian Notice of Procedural Safeguards
• Spanish Notice of Procedural Safeguards
• Vietnamese Notice of Procedural Safeguards
   

Child Find and Early Intervention

Child Find is a federally mandated process designed to locate, identify, and evaluate all children, ages birth through 21, who may have disabilities and need special education services. In Indiana, school districts are responsible for ensuring that any child suspected of having a disability is referred for an educational evaluation at no cost to the family. This includes children who attend private schools, are homeschooled, are highly mobile, or are not yet enrolled in school. 

If you have concerns about a child’s development or learning, you can contact the Designated Person at the school your child attends to begin the referral process.

Early intervention is critical in supporting young children’s development and setting a strong foundation for their future learning and success. By identifying and addressing developmental delays or disabilities as early as possible, we can provide targeted support that helps children thrive. Our cooperative agreement with Linnwood Childhood Center strengthens this commitment by allowing us to collaborate closely in delivering high-quality early intervention services. Together, we ensure that children and families receive the resources and support they need during these vital early years.

If you have concerns about your child’s development or learning and he or she is not yet kindergarten-eligible, you can contact Linnwood Childhood Center at 765-476-2900

The Evaluation Process

In Indiana, the evaluation process is the first step in determining whether a child qualifies for special education services under Article 7, Indiana’s special education law. The process is designed to be collaborative, data-driven, and focused on meeting each child’s individual needs. Here's an overview:

1. Referral: A parent, teacher, or other professional may refer a child for an educational evaluation if there are concerns about learning, behavior, or development. Parental consent is required before the evaluation can begin.

2. Written Notice: Within 10 school days after the parent makes a request for an educational evaluation, the school must provide the parent with written notice responding to the request, as well as a copy of the procedural safeguards. 

3. Parental Consent: If the school agrees to proceed with the evaluation, the school must obtain written parental consent to proceed with formal assessments.

4. Initial Evaluation: Once consent is received, the school has 50 instructional days to complete the evaluation. This may include cognitive, academic, speech-language, motor, social-emotional, or behavioral assessments.

5. Initial Case Conference: After testing is complete, the Case Conference Committee (CCC), including the parent, meets to review the results and determine if the child meets criteria for any of the Special Education categories and requires Specially Designed Instruction.

6. IEP Development (if eligible): If the student qualifies, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is developed. The IEP outlines goals, services, accommodations, and placement.

7. Reevaluation: A reevaluation is required to be considered every three years, or sooner if requested, to determine continued eligibility and the appropriateness of services.

The Individualized Education Plan Process

In Indiana, each student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) must have their plan reviewed at least once every 12 months. This Annual Case Review (ACR) ensures that the IEP continues to meet the student’s unique needs and is aligned with current progress, services, and goals.

As a parent, you can request to meet with your child’s Case Conference Committee outside of the Annual Case Review. Contact your child’s Teacher of Record to schedule a conference.
 

Parent Resources

Indiana Department of Education – Office of Special Education

Info on Article 7, IEPs, dispute resolution, and guidance for families.
https://www.in.gov/doe/students/special-education/

INSOURCE (Indiana Resource Center for Families with Special Needs)

Free support and advocacy for families navigating special education.
https://insource.org/

First Steps Indiana

Early intervention services for children birth to age 3.
https://www.in.gov/fssa/firststeps/

IN*Source Publications – Special Education Parent Handbook

Easy-to-understand guide to Indiana’s Article 7 rights and processes.
https://insource.org/resources/publications/

Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR)

Wide range of topics and toolkits for families of children with disabilities.
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/​​​​​​​
 

Who to Contact

If you have questions or concerns about your child’s educational services, we encourage you to follow this order of contact to ensure the most efficient and helpful support:

1. Start with your child’s Designated Person at the school.
 

2. If your child has an IEP, reach out to their Teacher of Record (TOR).

3. If you need additional assistance, contact the Special Education Specialist assigned to your child's school building.

4. For unresolved questions or concerns, contact the appropriate Director of Special Education:

• Elementary Schools: Alyssa Hart, Director of Special Education
• Secondary Schools: Kelly Gabauer, Director of Special Education

Seclusion and Restraint - General Guidelines

Any behavioral interventions must be consistent with a student's right to be treated with dignity and respect and to be free from abuse.

Any behavioral intervention used must be consistent with the student's most current individualized education program (IEP) and with the student's behavior intervention plan (BIP), if applicable.

Every effort must be made to eliminate or minimize the need for the use of seclusion or restraint with a student, including the use of prevention, positive behavior intervention and support, and conflict de-escalation prior to the use of seclusion or restraint, except in the case of an emergency, as defined below.

Seclusion and restraint are to be used only: 1) as a last resort safety procedure employed after another, less restrictive procedure has been implemented without success; and 2) when there is an imminent risk of injury to the student, other students, school employees, or visitors to the school.
Seclusion and restraint may be used only for a short period of time or until the imminent risk of injury has passed.

Any instance of seclusion or restraint must be documented as indicated below.

A student's parent must be notified as soon as possible when an incident involving the student that includes the use of seclusion or restraint occurs, and a copy of an incident report must be sent to the student's parent, as indicated below.

Regular training of appropriate school employees/staff members on the proper use of effective alternatives to seclusion and physical restraint and the safe use of seclusion and physical restraint in situations involving imminent danger or serious harm to the student, school employees or others is required, as indicated below.

Seclusion and restraint must not be used as a means of punishment or discipline, coercion or retaliation, or as a matter of convenience.

Seclusion and restraint must never be used in a manner that restricts a child's breathing.

The student must be monitored by a staff member at all times during the use of seclusion or restraint to ensure the appropriateness of its use and the safety of the student or others.

For additional information please reference policy 5630.01.
 

What are Transition Services: 

Each secondary school has access to a specially trained transition coordinator.  The transition coordinator works with students and families in preparation for the transition from high school to adulthood.  Programming begins by exploring areas of occupational interest and identifying skills needed to perform those occupations.  The transition coordinator assists in identifying educational and employment goals along with transition activities.  Also, they assist students and families in connecting and working with BDDS, Vocational Rehabilitation, Medicaid and other adult services the student may need in adulthood.   

In addition, students, once eligible,  may participate in a work-based learning program. The program consists of two components:  a work-related class, taught by a Special Education teacher that is worth one credit.  This can be taken alone or paired with the second component of a job in the community, with on-the-job training in a potential career of interest. The job portion can earn one  up two credits depending on the total numbers of hours worked in a semester.  A job coach will be assigned to the students for initial training or as needed.   Transportation could also be made available to the job site from school.''

• Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services
• My Next Move
• The Arc - Indiana
• Vocational Rehabilitation Services