State Special Education Forms. Quick Turn Around (QTA).

Overview & Synopsis

To address concerns of an excess of paperwork documenting compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a survey of all 50 state education agencies was conduced that investigated the role of state education agencies in the documentation of special education procedures. The survey listed 19 types of forms related to documentation requirements in state and federal special education laws and regulations. Respondents were asked to check one of four columns for each form to indicate whether the state education agency: (1) developed and mandates the form's use by districts; (2) developed and recommends the form's use by districts; (3) developed the form for district information only; or (4) has no state developed form of that type. Findings indicate that although 23 states have developed one or more forms that are mandated for district use, the majority of states reported that they do not mandate the use of state-developed forms. Only five types of forms on the survey were mandated by 10 or more states: procedural safeguards notice, Individualized Education Program form, secondary transition plan form, parental permission for initial evaluation, and the Individualized Family Service Plan form. Data charts are included that indicate the use of special education forms. (CR)