Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs) work collaboratively with local school districts, families and educators to impact the lives of Iowa children, birth through age 21. Special education is specially designed instruction, support, and services provided to students with an identified disability requiring an individually designed instructional program to meet their unique learning needs. The purpose of special education is to enable students to successfully develop to their fullest potential.
The AEA has two major responsibilities in special education: identification of children with disabilities (Child Find) and providing support and related services to those identified children. Services are provided for children birth through the age of 21 and can be accessed through requests made by parents or school personnel.
Child Find refers to the Area Education Agencies’ (AEAs) responsibility to ensure that students who are eligible for special education services are identified, located, evaluated and provided with needed services. AEA staff members follow statewide procedures for Child Find. These procedures are documented in the statewide special education procedures which are part of the Iowa IDEA Information website.
Contact your local AEA for assistance in the following areas for children with special needs: