ISBE selects local education agencies (LEAs) for tiered monitoring and support by identifying potential risk through the LEA Determinations process. According to 616(a)(1)(c)(i) and 300.600(a) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004), States are required to make "Determinations" under 616(d) on the performance of LEAs regarding the provision of special education and related services.
ISBE utilizes data from indicator measures of success to determine the degree to which a LEA is correctly implementing the requirements of Part B of the IDEA. This leads to an overall determination for LEAs in one of the following categories: Meets Requirements, Needs Assistance, Needs Assistance for Two or More Consecutive Years, Needs Intervention, Needs Intervention for Three or More Consecutive Years, or Needs Substantial Intervention. As implied, these categories represent various intensities of technical assistance and intervention/support.
Each State is required to make such a determination using these categories for every LEA within the state on an annual basis. Each state decides what criteria it will use to identify the status of each LEA within the required categories. In making Determinations under the Illinois Special Education Accountability and Support System, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) currently considers the following indicator measures of success:
- LEA performance on State Performance Plan (SPP) compliance indicators (Indicators 4B, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- LEA performance on SPP results indicators (Indicators 1, 5a, 6a)
- Timely correction of noncompliance
- IDEA Part B single audit findings
- Timely, Valid, and Reliable Data
