IEP Related Services in Missouri
What related services can be included in an IEP in Missouri?
Missouri defines special educational services broadly under RSMo 162.675 to include diagnostic and evaluation services, student and parent counseling, itinerant and homebound services, referral assistance, organized instructional and therapeutic programs, transportation, and corrective and supporting services. Related services under federal law (34 CFR 300.34) are incorporated through the Missouri State Plan and include: audiology, interpreting, psychological services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreation and therapeutic recreation, counseling, orientation and mobility services, medical services for diagnostic/evaluation purposes only, school health and nursing services, social work services, parent counseling and training, and transportation. The school district (LEA) is responsible for providing all related services specified in the IEP at no cost to parents. If a school district is unable to provide special educational services, RSMo 162.705 requires the district to contract with a nearby district, public agency, or private provider. Missouri also has the Special School District of St. Louis County, a unique regional entity funded by its own tax base that provides special education and related services cooperatively across 22 school districts in St. Louis County.
What Missouri Requires
All related services specified in the IEP must be provided at no cost to parents by the school district (LEA) (RSMo 162.670; 34 CFR 300.17).
Special educational services include diagnostic and evaluation services, student and parent counseling, itinerant and homebound services, transportation, corrective and supporting services, and organized instructional and therapeutic programs (RSMo 162.675).
If a district cannot provide special educational services, it must contract with a nearby district, public agency, or private provider; if the district fails to contract, the state board may contract and charge costs to the district (RSMo 162.705).
The IEP must specify the frequency, location, duration, and projected start date for each related service (34 CFR 300.320(a)(7)).
Medical services are covered as a related service only when provided for diagnostic or evaluation purposes, not for ongoing medical treatment (34 CFR 300.34(c)(5)).
Assistive technology devices and services must be provided when required to implement the child's IEP (34 CFR 300.105; 34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(v)).
Key Timelines
Related services must be in place as specified in the IEP beginning on the start date identified in the IEP (34 CFR 300.323(a)).
Related service provisions must be reviewed at each annual IEP meeting (34 CFR 300.324(b)).