Subject:  Part C Application

Source:  Joyce Jackman, Coordinator, Early Intervention Services

Intended Audience: System stakeholders in Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 

Date:  February 4, 2008 

On October 12, 2007, all states and territories received notification from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), that all states making application for funds under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are required to make available for public review and comment the application packet for the federal IDEA Part C funds.  The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has developed the draft application packet for these funds and is by this notice making the application available for review and comment at:

http://dese.mo.gov/divspeced/documents/PrtCApp08.pdf

The application packet, developed by OSEP, includes a summary of the certifications, policies, procedures, methods, descriptions, assurances and IDEA use of funds descriptions that the state will use to implement Part C of IDEA.  Upon receipt and approval of this application, Missouri will receive an approximate $7.8 million federal grant award under IDEA Part C for the period of July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009.  As you review the application, please note the following: 

• The application is in a format required by OSEP.
• Missouri is providing general assurance to OSEP that the state will be implementing the provisions of Part C of IDEA 2004 and will complete the revision of the state regulations by June 30, 2009, following the receipt of final regulations for IDEA from the federal government.
• The costs include in this application only reflect those costs attributable to the federal IDEA funds that are allocated to the state of Missouri and not the total cost of the First Steps program.
• The dollar amounts listed in Section III, Description of Use of Part C Funds for the Lead Agency, are based upon current year (FFY07) estimated expenditures.  These figures are being used at this time due to the federal budget not being finalized, thus preventing OSEP from giving States their FFY08 budget allocations.  As States must post their application for public comment in early February in order to meet the 60 day public comment requirement prior to submission of the application, we have been instructed by OSEP to submit the same use of funds form as was submitted with the prior year's application. When we receive our allocation tables from OSEP, we will be updating the form and submitting it to OSEP. When the funds form is updated and submitted, we will post the new information on our website.

This application is available for review on the Division’s website for the next sixty (60) days, until April 4, 2008.  Individuals desiring to submit written comments on the application should address their comments to the attention of Joyce Jackman at webreplyspefs@dese.mo.gov or PO Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65104.  Comments must be postmarked by March 8, 2008.