California Code of Regulations
Title 5 - Education
Division 1 - California Department of Education
Chapter 3 - Individuals with Exceptional Needs
Subchapter 1 - Special Education
Article 3.1 - Individuals with Exceptional Needs
Section 3031 - Additional Eligibility Criteria for Individuals with Exceptional Needs-Age Birth to Younger than Three Years

Universal Citation: 5 CA Code of Regs 3031

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024

(a) A child, age birth to younger than three years, shall qualify as an individual with exceptional needs pursuant to Education Code section 56026(c)(1) and Government Code section 95014 if the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) team determines that the child meets the following criteria:

(1) Is identified as an individual with exceptional needs pursuant to section 3030, and

(2) Is identified as requiring intensive special education and services by meeting one of the following criteria:
(A) The child has a developmental delay as determined by a significant difference between the expected level of development for their age and their current level of functioning in one or more of the following five developmental areas:
1. cognitive development;

2. physical and motor development, including vision and hearing;

3. communication development;

4. social or emotional development; or

5. adaptive development.

A significant difference is defined as a 33 percent delay in one developmental area before 24 months of age, or, at 24 months of age or older, either a delay of 50 percent in one developmental area or a 33 percent delay in two or more developmental areas.

(B) The child has a disabling medical condition or congenital syndrome which the IFSP team determines has a high predictability of requiring intensive special education and services.

(b) Programs for individuals with exceptional needs younger than three years of age are permissive in accordance with Education Code sections 56001(c) and (d) except for those programs mandated pursuant to Education Code section 56425.

1. Amendment of subsection (a)(2) filed 3-21-88; operative 4--20-88 (Register 88, No. 15).
2. Amendment of section heading, section and NOTE filed 5-5-2014; operative 7-1-2014 (Register 2014, No. 19).

Note: Authority cited: Section 56100, Education Code. Reference: Sections 56001 and 56026, Education Code; Section 95014, Government Code; 20 U.S.C. Section 1401(3)(B), 20 U.S.C. Section 1432(5); and 34 C.F.R. Sections 303.21, 300.25.

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