IEP Service Delivery in Michigan
How are IEP services delivered in Michigan?
Michigan's special education service delivery system relies heavily on its 56 Intermediate School Districts (ISDs), also called Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs). ISDs are a unique feature of Michigan's educational structure not found in most states — they serve as regional hubs responsible for providing or supervising special education services to students across their constituent local districts. Under MCL 380.1711 and R 340.1702, each ISD must either directly provide special education programs and services or ensure that local education agencies within their region do so. Many ISDs employ or contract with speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, school psychologists, and social workers who travel between local districts to serve students. The local district retains FAPE responsibility alongside the ISD — this joint responsibility is unique to Michigan's structure. The Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) continuum in Michigan includes: general education with supplementary aids and services; general education with resource room support; self-contained special education classroom within general education building; special day school; residential school; home instruction; and hospital or residential institution. The Michigan School for the Deaf (MSD) in Flint and the Michigan School for the Blind (MSB) in Lansing are state-operated residential schools that IEP teams must consider as placement options. Michigan's Extended School Year (ESY) services must be considered at every IEP meeting (R 340.1721e) — if the team determines ESY is needed to prevent substantial regression, services must be provided during school breaks at no cost to parents.
What Michigan Requires
Michigan's 56 ISDs/RESAs serve as regional hubs that employ or contract specialists providing related services across local districts — local district and ISD share FAPE responsibility (MCL 380.1711; R 340.1702).
The IEP team must consider ESY services at every annual IEP meeting — if regression/recoupment data or critical learning stage analysis supports a need, ESY must be offered at no cost to the family (R 340.1721e; 34 CFR 300.106).
The full LRE continuum includes the Michigan School for the Deaf (MSD, Flint) and Michigan School for the Blind (MSB, Lansing) — state residential schools that IEP teams must consider for eligible students (R 340.1721e).
Services must be specified in the IEP with frequency, location, duration, and projected start date — ISD or contracted-provider delivery must still conform to these IEP specifications (34 CFR 300.320(a)(7)).
Michigan requires that services be based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable (34 CFR 300.320(a)(4)) — ISD staff delivering services must use evidence-based methods.
The district and ISD may not simply say a service is unavailable — FAPE obligations require the district to obtain services through contracting, busing, or other means if local capacity is insufficient (R 340.1721e; 34 CFR 300.323).
Key Timelines
All services must begin on the projected start date in the IEP and be in effect at the beginning of each school year (34 CFR 300.323(a)).
ESY eligibility determination must be made before the end of the school year — services must be available during the break period when needed (MDE guidance; 34 CFR 300.106).
Any change to service delivery setting, provider, or frequency requires Prior Written Notice and — for placement changes — parental consent (34 CFR 300.503; R 340.1721e).
ISD supervision and compliance monitoring of local special education programs is an annual responsibility (MCL 380.1711; R 340.1702).