Special Education
Special Education Services Utah State Board of Education department for LEAs and families.
Accessibility, Accommodations and Alternative Assessment Utah State Board of Education informational resources on accommodations and assessment.
Procedural Safeguards Notice 2023 for Parents and Students This is a printable document that goes over required full explanations of procedural safeguards under IDEA and U.S. Department of Education regulations.
Assistive Technology This is a printable document that provides information on assistive technology devices for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.
For School Improvement Programs and Special Education Parent Engagement Resources
Susie Estrada, Phone: (385) 295-7891 | Email
Family and Community Engagement Specialist-Center for Continuous School Improvement (CCSI) The Center for Continuous School Improvement supports school improvement efforts across all schools in Utah.
Title I Part A: School Improvement Supports for school improvement where all Utah schools engage in the continuous improvement cycle.
Special Education Organizations and Partnerships (Indicator of Annual Performance Report)
Rules and Laws
Utah State Board of Education Special Education Rules, June 2023 Special Education specific board rules.
R277-104 Board Rule Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Complaint Procedure Establishes procedures for individuals to file complaints under the ADA and to provide appropriate classification of the records of complaints and appeals.
R277-626 Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship Provides guidelines for contracted scholarship granting organizations and the Superintendent to implement the Carson Smith Opportunities Scholarship Program.
R277-750 Board Rule Education Programs for Students with Disabilities Specifies standards and procedures for special education programs.
R277-800 Utah Schools for Deaf and Blind Provides standards and procedures for the operation of the USDB and the USDB outreach programs and services.
R277-801 Services for students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired and deaf-blind Establishes rules for LEAs (Local Education Agencies) and USDB (Utah School for the Deaf and Blind) to provide services to students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, and deaf-blind.
Utah Code Special Education (53E-7) This is the section of Utah Code that applies to Special Education, its general provisions as well as the Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship.
English Learners, Immigrants and Refugees (Title III)
English Learners, Immigrants and Refugees (Title III) Utah State Board of Education site information for Title III
- Ensuring English Learner Students Can Participate Meaningfully and Equally in Educational Programs Printable document defining rights for English Learners in Education.
Information on the Rights of All Children to Enroll in School Printable FAQ for rights of all children to enroll in school.
Utah Center for Immigration & Integration Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity website navigating pathways to recruit and retain global talent.
Title I, Title III, Section 504, Title IX, Title VI
English Learners, Immigrants and Refugees (Title III).
The ESEA provides federal funding for education programs including:
- Title I Law and Policy which supplements State and local funding for low-achieving children, especially high-poverty schools US Department of Education Title I information for parents.
- Title III, Services for English Learners
- Title VI, American Indian, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native Education
- Title VII, Part B: McKinney-Vento Homeless Education
- Title IX and Sex Discrimination
Postsecondary Transition and Graduation for Students with Disabilities
Overview for transitioning to a postsecondary setting for students with disabilities. Includes regulation, college information, guidelines, IEPs, and other resources.
Religious Accommodations
Utah Code Individual Freedom In Public Education (3)
Utah Code Waivers of participation based on religious belief (53G-10-205)
Constitutional Law-Religious Liberty (Article I, Section 4)
Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962)
Updated Dyslexia Handbook
The Special Education Department is excited to announce that USBE has released a revised Dyslexia Handbook entitled The Dyslexia Handbook: Guidance for Effective Literacy Instruction for General Education and Special Education to aid educators, parents, and administrators in providing effective literacy instruction for all students, particularly those struggling with dyslexia.
- Purpose and Content of the Dyslexia Handbook: The handbook offers evidence-based guidance on literacy instruction, interventions, assessments, and resources for both general and special education, aiming to ensure robust educational instruction, interventions, and support to improve academic outcomes for students with dyslexia and other reading challenges.
- Emphasis on Early and Evidence-Based Reading Instruction: The Utah State Board of Education recognizes that all students have the right to good reading instruction, which will help them feel a greater sense of belonging at school and increase their academic success, and acknowledges that early and evidence-based practices are crucial for better reading outcomes, especially for those with language-based learning challenges.
More Information: Ellen Bailey (Ellen.Bailey@schools.utah.gov)