State Board Meeting - September
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Office of Special Education
We administer both the state's Exceptional Children's Educational Act (ECEA) and the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for children with disabilities. This website is a resource for teachers, administrators, and parents of students with exceptional educational needs due to disability, or learners who are culturally and/or linguistically diverse or have some other special need. We are one of three offices within the Exceptional Student Services Unit (along with the Office of Facility Schools and the Office of Gifted Education).
Quick Links
Extended Part C Eligibility
For the year 2027, parents whose children turn three between May 1, 2027 and the beginning of the 2027-28 school year, and meet the requirements for eligibility, may choose for their child to participate in the Extended Part C Option for the spring and summer of 2027.
Third birthday range for potential eligibility for the Extended Part C Program is posted annually by August first on the Colorado Department of Early Childhood’s Early Intervention Website under the Extended Part C Option tab. Contact Melissa Taucher with questions.
Part B State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR) is available
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs has issued Colorado’s Federal Fiscal Year 2024 SPP/APR and Determination. The report is posted on CDE's Determinations and State Performance Plan / Annual Performance Reports webpage.
Keep Your Contact Info Up to Date
AU SPED Director of Record
and Fiscal Contact Information
We must have current contact information for all state-level Special Education Directors and Special Education Fiscal Contacts. We communicate important updates and information through our listserv, so please be sure that we have accurate, updated information. Communications from this listserv will come from CDE_SPED.
Online Free Professional Development Options for Colorado Educators
Educators and paraprofessionals play a critical role in supporting students with disabilities. Recent legislation in Colorado established new professional development requirements for both groups—licensed educators must complete training in special education and behavioral health, and paraprofessionals must receive role-specific training to ensure they can effectively support students.
This document highlights a selection of free online professional development opportunities that may help meet these new requirements. The list is not comprehensive and does not represent an endorsement of any program or provider; it is intended as a starting point to explore available options.