Part B of IDEA requires participating states to ensure that a free appropriate public education (FAPE) is made available to eligible children with disabilities in mandatory age ranges residing in the state.

To be eligible, a child must be evaluated as having one or more of the disabilities listed in IDEA and determined to be in need of special education and related services.

Evaluations must be conducted according to prescribed procedures.

The disabilities specified in IDEA include:

• Mental Retardation
• Hearing Impairments including Deafness
• Speech or Language Impairments
• Visual Impairments including Blindness
• Emotional Disturbance
• Orthopedic Impairments
• Autism
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Other Health Impairments
• Specific Learning Disabilities
• Deaf-Blindness
• and multiple disabilities.

Additionally, states and local education agencies (LEAs) may adopt the term “developmental delay” for children aged 3 through 9 (or a subset of that age range) who are experiencing a developmental delay as defined by the state and need special education and related services.

IDEA requirements apply to states receiving financial assistance under IDEA. States must ensure that their political subdivisions that are responsible for providing or paying for the education of children with disabilities meet IDEA requirements. All states receive IDEA funds. Section 504 applies to any program or activity receiving ED financial assistance.