The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that provides for the education of students with disabilities. All students with disabilities, ages 3-21, have the right to receive a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, with their non-disabled peers, based on identified needs included in their Individualized Education Program (IEP).

The Department for Exceptional Children strives to provide comprehensive support with the purpose of providing educational services to children with disabilities to meet their individual needs. The Department works interdependently and responsibly by providing assistance related to programming, conducting staff development workshops, assisting in the identification of personnel, providing feedback to teachers and assuring compliance with legal due process issues. The Department is committed to providing the assistance needed to ensure that children with disabilities are receiving the most appropriate services possible.