Special Education Guidance and Technical Assistance

The Office of Special Education has provided guidance and technical assistance documents in a variety of areas related to Special Education.

Behavior | Disabilities  | ECEA | ESP | FBA | Health | IEP | IDEA | Learning | McKinney-Vento | Mental Health | Multilingual Learners | OSEP Q&A |Out-of-Home Placement | Pre-School | Reading-Math | Secondary Transition | Speech Language Pathologist | Other

 Behavior

• Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) Technical Assistance Document (PDF)

Brain Injury

• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Technical Assistance Document (PDF)

Eligibility Categories Guidance

The following documents provide a comprehensive overview of the HB11-1277 history/next steps/timelines, the context of Multi-Tiered System of Supports, information specific to twice exceptional learners, and the definition/eligibility criteria for each of the disability categories.

• OSEP Memo on Eligibility dated 11-07 (PDF)
• HB11-1277 Q & A -- March 2013 Update (PDF)

 Disability Categories

• *** New Disability Categories, Guidance and Timelines (House Bill 11-1277), October 31, 2011 (PDF)

Autism Spectrum Disorder Guidance

• Guidelines for the Educational Evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Revised Aug., 2020)(PDF)
• Spanish Version - Guidelines for the Educational Evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Revised Aug., 2020)(PDF)

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

• Guidelines for the Educational Evaluation & Intervention of Auditory Processing Deficits (APD)

Development Delay

• Developmental Delay Technical Assistance Document (PDF)

Serious Emotional Disability

• Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Special Education for Students with Serious Emotional Disability (PDF)
• Topic Brief: Social Maladjustment - Determining the Presence of Social Maladjustment While Considering Eligibility for Serious Disability (SED) and Intervention Strategies (PDF) (ENGLISH)
  • Spanish Topic Brief- Social Maladjustment - Determining the Presence of Social Maladjustment While Considering Eligibility for Serious Disability (SED) and Intervention Strategies (PDF)

Specific Learning Disabilities

• SLD: Evaluation and Eligibility Technical Assistance Document (PDF)
• Cultural and/or Linguistic Diversity and SLD Technical Assistance Document (PDF)
• Gifted and SLD (Twice Exceptional) Technical Assistance Document (PDF)
• Triennial Reevaluation and Continued Eligibility Technical Assistance Document (PDF)

​Traumatic Brain Injury

• Brain Injury in Children and Youth: A Manual for Educators (2018) (PDF)

 Colorado's Exceptional Children's Educational Act (ECEA)

• *** ECEA Requirements that Exceed IDEA Requirements, September 1, 2011 (PDF)

Educational Surrogate Parent (ESP) 

• Special Education and Educational Surrogate Parents - Technical Assistance and Training Manual 2023 (PDF)
• Educational Surrogate Parent (ESP) Guidance Memo, June 2018 (PDF)
• Assignment of an ESP Form 2023-2024 (PDF)
• ECEA Rules regarding ESPs (1 CCR 301-8, 2220-R-6.02(8) (PDF)

Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)

• Functional Behavior Assessment Guidance Document (PDF) (2024)

 Health

• Emergency Medications on the Bus Technical Assistance Document (PDF)
• Role of the School Nurse: Students with Special Needs Technical Assistance Document (PDF)

 Individualized Education Program (IEP)

• IEP Training for Foster Parents (House Bill 09-1078), January 27, 2010 (ask beth where it should go) 

 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

• The Consideration of Clinical Diagnoses in the Educational Identification of Disabilities in Accordance with IDEA 2004 (PDF)
• Consideration of Special Factors: "Unique" Communication Needs (PDF)
• Making Least Restrictive Environment Placement Decisions for Preschoolers (PDF)

 Learning

• Reading and Math Interventionists in Special Education (PDF) - (in process of review) New codes that allow flexibility for the use of interventionists in Special Education

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

• IDEA 2004 and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
  • More Information on the McKinney-Vento Act

 Mental Health

• Guide to School-Based Mental Health Services and Professionals in Colorado (PDF)
• Social Skills (PDF)

Multilingual Learners (ML) Identified with or Suspected of Having Educational Disabilities

• Culturally Responsive School-Based Family Interviewing: Engaging in Empathic Family Partnerships
• Linguistically Responsive Data-Based Instructional Decision-Making for K-12 Multilingual Learners
• Multilingual Learner Processing Guide (PDF)
• Multilingual Learner Family Interview Questions - Building Trust and Mutual Understanding (PDF)
  • Entrevistas con familias de los MLs (PDF)
• Multilingual Learners Identified or Suspected of having Educational Disabilities: Enrollment Scenarios Flowchart  (PDF)
• Students who are Newcomers: Considerations for Special Education (PDF)

OSEP Q&As

Office of Special Education Programs has issued the following Guidance and Q&A Documents

• INITIAL EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT TIMELINE
• Questions and Answers for K-12 Pub. Schs. in the Current COVID-19 Environment (OCR 9/28/20)

Out-of-Home Placement

• *** Children in Out-Of-Home Placement, House Bill 08-1019, June 24, 2009

Pre-School

• FAPE for Preschool Special Education Students (PDF)
• OSEP LRE/FAPE Letter, January 2017 (US Department of Education webpage)
• DCL: A Response to Intervention Process Cannot Be Used to Delay-Deny an Evaluation for Preschool Special Education Services (US Department of Education webpage)

Reading/Math

• Reading and Math Interventionists Supporting Students in Special Education - in the process of review

 Secondary Transition

Speech Language Pathologists (SLP)

• SLP/OT/PT Services, April 1, 2009
• Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) Technical Assistance Document (PDF)
• Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) Technical Assistance Document (PDF)