Exceptional Children and Early Learning

OSEEL Communication and Resources

Published: 4/30/2025 10:33 AM

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) issued its 2022 Determination Letters on State Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Kentucky was found to Meet Requirements and Purposes of Part B of the IDEA. This is Kentucky’s 15th consecutive year of achieving the highest level of determination possible.

Recent Legislative Impacts

On March 23, 2023, Governor Beshear signed House Bill 538 into law. The bill amends KRS 158.150, Suspension or expulsion of pupils and will take effect on June 29, 2023. Both KRS 158.150 and HB 538 (2023), continue to provide that “Any action under this section related to students with disabilities shall be in compliance with applicable federal law." This includes the provisions about the suspension of exceptional children and manifestation determinations. The legislation specifically acknowledges that students with disabilities must continue to receive all the protections established by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). As part of the general supervision requirements of the IDEA, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) will continue to provide technical assistance and monitor the implementation of the IDEA, including disciplinary provisions.

To support local school districts, the Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) previously shared information regarding the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and Office for Civil Rights (OCR) release of a discipline package. The package is intended to help schools support students with disabilities and avoid discriminatory use of discipline.

For more information regarding legislative direction, please visit the Kentucky Department of Education's Legislative Guidance page.

Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter

Click the link below to read the latest news and updates from the Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL).

Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter (April 30, 2025)
Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter (January 31, 2025)
Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter (October 31, 2024)
Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter (July 31, 2024)
Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter (April 30, 2024)
Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter (January 31, 2024)
Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter (October 31, 2023)
Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter (August 4, 2023)
Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter (April 27, 2023)
Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter (January 19, 2023)
Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter (October 20, 2022)
Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter (July 18, 2022)
Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter (May 17, 2022)

Revisions to Special Education Definitions Q & A and Support Video

The Question and Answers (Q&A) Related to Revisions to Special Education Definitions (Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment) document is intended to provide frequently asked questions related to the amendments to the definitions for hearing impairment and visual impairment. The Q&A also provides resources to assist schools and districts in improving processes related to referring, evaluating and determining eligibility for a student with a hearing or visual impairment. Additionally, the video is a companion resource that provides an overview of and highlights key features of the Q&A document.

Question and Answers (Q&A) Related to Revisions to Special Education Definitions (Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment)
Revisions to the Kentucky Administrative Regulations Definitions for Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment

Directors of Special Education Institute 2024 Recordings Now Available

Please visit the Directors of Special Education Institute webpage to view recordings of content shared at last summer's Directors of Special Education (DoSE) Institute.

OSEEL Webcasts and Resources

District Guide to Indicator 8: Annual Parent Engagement Survey: Presentation provides districts with an overview of the annual Indicator 8 Parent Engagement survey for parents of children with Individual Education Programs (IEPs). This survey is part of the State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report required by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
- District Guide to Indicator 8:Annual Parent Engagement Survey PowerPoint
- District Guide to Indicator 8:Annual Parent Engagement Survey Video
Special Education Exiting Video 2023 with Amy Patterson is now available.
The KDE's Question and Answers Related to Students with Disabilities in Adult Correctional Facilities is now available.
The OSEEL's Early Learning Unit's Child Outcomes Summary Guidance and accompanying COS YouTube video are now available.
The KDE's Office of Special Education and Early Learning presents Kentucky's Framework for Systems Level Transition Planning. This resource may serve as a tool to support district and interagency teams in offering a transformative transition planning process that prepares students with disabilities for the realities of today and the future.
Differentiated Monitoring and Tiered Engagement Manual: KDE’s Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) exercises its general supervision responsibilities for all public agencies involved in the provision of special education and related services. The general supervision authority requires OSEEL to ensure that each student with an IEP within the state receives FAPE. To meet this requirement, OSEEL conducts monitoring and tiered engagement activities to identify and correct noncompliance at both the individual student level and the systemic level.
Child Outcome Summary: The Early Learning Unit is pleased to provide additional training regarding the new Child Outcomes Summary (COS) process for reporting preschool child outcomes.
State Performance Plan (SPP) Indicator 12 (May 2022): Learn more about Indicator 12: Early Childhood Transition.
State Performance Plan (SPP) Annual Performance Rate (APR) Indicator Guide: The Indicator Guide is a non-regulatory guide designed to provide an overview of the 17 Indicators in the State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR). The Guide includes a definition of each indicator, key vocabulary terms specific to that indicator, and a brief explanation of how the Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) collects data for each indicator.
FAPE and Compensatory Education for District Staff (April 22, 2021)
FAPE and Compensatory Education for Parents (April 22, 2021)

LRP Resources

Special Ed Connection is the go-to online source for guidance on all your special education challenges — and the source you need to keep current on education policy and legal developments.

DirectSTEP Announcement Recording (Nov 8, 2021)
Special Ed Connection Announcement Recording (Dec 15, 2021)

Please email the contacts listed below if you have any questions.

Kelly Whiting or Ryan Benetz.

Best Practice Spotlight

OSEEL is looking for best practices to spotlight! Please share, via the OSEEL Spotlight Submission Form, if you have excellent practices occurring within classrooms so we can highlight the work of teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other education providers.

Misty Green

Office of Special Education and Early Learning

300 Sower Blvd., 4th Floor

Frankfort, KY 40601

(502) 892-6577 Ext. 4105

Fax (502) 564-6470

misty.green@education.ky.gov

OSEEL Communication and Resources

​​Recent Legislative Impacts

Office of Special Education and Early Learning Newsletter​