IDEA Disability Categories in California
What disability categories qualify for an IEP in California?
California recognizes all 13 federal IDEA disability categories and adds one state-specific category. The federal categories, codified in 5 CCR 3030 (which mirrors 34 CFR 300.8), are: (1) Autism, (2) Deaf-Blindness, (3) Deafness, (4) Emotional Disturbance, (5) Hearing Impairment, (6) Intellectual Disability, (7) Multiple Disabilities, (8) Orthopedic Impairment, (9) Other Health Impairment, (10) Specific Learning Disability, (11) Speech or Language Impairment, (12) Traumatic Brain Injury, and (13) Visual Impairment including Blindness. California adds: (14) Established Medical Disability — available only for children aged 3-5, this category covers children with a known medical condition that has a high probability of requiring special education and related services (EC 56441.11). This additional category facilitates early intervention without requiring the child to meet the criteria for a specific IDEA category. For Specific Learning Disability (SLD), California allows districts to use either the severe discrepancy model or a Response to Intervention (RTI) pattern of strengths and weaknesses approach, but does not require RTI as a prerequisite to referral (EC 56337-56337.5; 5 CCR 3030(b)(10)). California law explicitly prohibits using Response to Intervention to delay or deny a referral for special education assessment (EC 56301(d)). Each disability category in 5 CCR 3030 has specific eligibility criteria that must be met through comprehensive assessment.
What California Requires
California recognizes all 13 IDEA disability categories as defined in 5 CCR 3030, which incorporates and expands upon 34 CFR 300.8.
California adds 'Established Medical Disability' (EMD) as a 14th category for children ages 3-5 with a diagnosed medical condition having a high probability of requiring special education (EC 56441.11).
For Specific Learning Disability, California allows the severe discrepancy model or a pattern of strengths and weaknesses approach; RTI cannot be used as a prerequisite to referral (EC 56337-56337.5; EC 56301(d)).
Each disability category has specific eligibility criteria in 5 CCR 3030 that must be documented through comprehensive, nondiscriminatory assessment.
A student may be eligible under more than one category; the IEP team determines the primary disability classification.
Key Timelines
Eligibility under any disability category must be determined within 60 calendar days of receiving parental consent for assessment (EC 56043(c)).
Triennial reevaluation must confirm continued eligibility under the identified disability category (EC 56381(a); 34 CFR 300.303).
Established Medical Disability (EMD) is available only for children ages 3-5; students aging out of the 3-5 range must be assessed under one of the 13 IDEA categories.