IDEA Determination Letters Show State-By-State Ratings

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) released its annual determination letters assessing state implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Parts B and C. Part B serves children and youth ages 3–21, while Part C serves infants and toddlers from birth through age 2. States are evaluated based on their performance under the State Performance Plan (SPP) and are assigned one of four ratings: Meets Requirements, Needs Assistance, Needs Intervention, or Needs Substantial Intervention. According to an analysis by the Advocacy Institute of the Part B determination letters, compared to 2025, four states improved their ratings: Alabama, Florida, Rhode Island, and South Dakota; while seven states saw declines: Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, and Vermont. Notably, only five states have consistently received a “Meets Requirements” rating in each of the past 13 years (2014–2026): Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

The Advocacy Institute’s analysis and a map of state ratings can be found here.