General Public Reporting Requirements
In 1993, the 103rd Congress passed the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). GPRA addressed concerns that many federal programs did not include specific program goals; which meant federal managers did not have data to evaluate the program. GPRA was designed to be an “Act to provide for the establishment of strategic planning and performance measurement in the Federal Government.” Starting in 2000, GPRA requires every federal agency to develop annual performance plans and program performance reports.
Click here to read more about the GPRA: Performance Management and Performance Measurement Requirements.
Section 611, 616 & 618
Section 616, 618, and 611 refer to the sections located in Public Law 108-446. Click here to read PL 108-446.
IDEA gives OSEP the authority to collect data from states for the purposes of:
• monitoring compliance of implementation of special education programs
• analyzing the use of IDEA to improve outcomes for students with disabilities
• determining the technical assistance OSEP will provide states to meet IDEA requirements
Section 611: Technical Assistance to Meet Requirements
In 2004, Congress added Section 611(c) to IDEA, which gave the Secretary of Education the authority to reserve up to one-half of 1 percent of the amounts appropriated under Part B of the IDEA for each fiscal year to provide TA under IDEA Section 616(i), where needed, to improve the capacity of States to meet the IDEA data collection requirements.
The OSEP currently supports several TA centers using 611 funds. Examples include:
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The National Technical Assistance Center for Transition (NTACT)
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The National Center for Educational Outcomes (NCEO) (jointly funded with OSEP’s Technical Assistance and Dissemination Program)
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The EDFacts Technical Support Services II contract (jointly funded with the National Center for Education Statistics)
Section 616: Data Analysis
Section 616 is often referred to as the "public reporting requirements".
In 2004, Congress also added Section 616 to IDEA to require States to submit to OSERS (the office wherein OSEP resides) and make available to the public, a state performance plan (SPP) and an annual performance report (APR) with data on how each State implements both Part B and C of the IDEA to improve outcomes for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.
Section 618: State Data Collection
Section 618 of the IDEA requires each state to submit data about:
1. infants and toddlers who receive early-intervention services under Part C of the IDEA
2. children with disabilities who receive special education and related services under Part B of the IDEA.
There are 12 data collections authorized under Section 618 of the IDEA.
Under Part C:
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child count
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settings
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exiting
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dispute resolution
Under Part B:
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child count
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educational environments
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personnel
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exiting
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discipline
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assessment
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dispute resolution
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maintenance of effort reduction/
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coordinated early intervening services
Click here to read about each of the 17 Part B Indicators
Additional Reading
OSEP IDEA Section 618 Data Products Home Page