On August 16, 2021 PA Secretary of Education Noe Ortega disseminated a PennLink titled  Pennsylvania’s Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B 2021 – Determinations Notification stating that on June 24, 2021, Pennsylvania received notification from the U.S. Department of Education’s (USDE) Office of Special Education Programs that the commonwealth has received a “Meets Requirements” determination, the highest level that the federal government awards to states under Part B of the IDEA.

Pennsylvania was one of only 23 states and territories that received the distinction this year. The commonwealth’s excellent work in special education has been recognized with the “Meets Requirements” designation for 14 of the 15 years that USDE has been issuing its determinations. This recognition is a testament to the hard work of educators and staff in delivering high-quality services to students with disabilities and their families.

This determination is based on the totality of the commonwealth’s special education data and information, including the federal fiscal year 2019 State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR), other state-reported data, and additional publicly available information. Consistent with USDE’s Results Driven Accountability, 2021 determinations were based on the commonwealth’s compliance with the regulatory requirements of the IDEA, as well as the positive outcomes being achieved for students.

In making Part B determinations in 2021, the USDE Office of Special Education Programs considered the following results data for students with disabilities:

1. Participation on regular statewide assessments.
2. Participation and performance on the most recently administered (school year 2018-19) National Assessment of Educational Progress.
3. Graduation with a regular high school diploma.
4. Dropout rates.

Pennsylvania’s Part B SPP/APR is available on the Pennsylvania Department of Education website or the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network website. The USDE has developed state profiles as a resource for IDEA-related, state-specific information. Persons interested in reviewing that information may visit the USDE Office of Special Education Program’s Pennsylvania’s Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B 2021 – Determinations Notification. 

Questions regarding this information may be directed to Amy Pastorak, Assistant Director of the PDE’s Bureau of Special Education, at [email protected].