IEP Related Services in Mississippi
What related services can be included in an IEP in Mississippi?
Mississippi requires that each IEP specify all related services the student requires to benefit from special education, consistent with 34 CFR 300.34 as adopted by the Mississippi Special Education Regulations under Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-9. Related services include speech-language pathology, audiology, psychological services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, counseling services, social work services, school health services, nursing services, parent counseling and training, transportation, recreation (including therapeutic recreation), assistive technology services, orientation and mobility, and interpreting services. The IEP must specify the projected start date, frequency, location, and duration of each related service (34 CFR 300.320(a)(7)). All related services must be provided at no cost to the family as part of FAPE (Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-3). Mississippi school districts may contract for related services they cannot provide directly, provided all services meet applicable licensure requirements and are delivered at no cost to the family.
What Mississippi Requires
The IEP must specify each related service with its projected start date, frequency, location, and duration (34 CFR 300.320(a)(7); Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-9).
Related services must be provided by appropriately licensed or certified providers; Mississippi requires state-specific licensure for providers such as speech-language pathologists and physical therapists (MS Sp. Ed. Regs.; Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-15).
Assistive technology devices and services must be provided if required for FAPE; home use must be permitted if the IEP team determines it is necessary (34 CFR 300.105; MS Sp. Ed. Regs.).
Transportation is a required related service when needed for the student to benefit from special education, and must be provided at no cost to the family (34 CFR 300.34(c)(16); Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-3).
Districts may contract for related services they cannot provide directly, but all services must meet licensure requirements and be at no cost to families (Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-15; MS Sp. Ed. Regs.).
Key Timelines
Related 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)).
Related services must be reviewed at least annually as part of the IEP review (34 CFR 300.324(b)).
For transfer students, comparable services must be provided while a new IEP is being developed (34 CFR 300.323(e)-(f)).