IEP Related Services in Oregon
What related services can be included in an IEP in Oregon?
Oregon IEPs must include a statement of related services needed to assist the child with a disability to benefit from special education (34 CFR 300.34; ORS 343.035(15); ORS 343.151). Oregon Revised Statutes define related services as 'transportation and developmental, corrective and other supportive services' required to help students benefit from special education (ORS 343.035(15)). Enumerated related services under Oregon law include: speech-language pathology and audiology services, interpreting services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, recreation (including therapeutic recreation), counseling services (including rehabilitation counseling), orientation and mobility services, medical services for diagnostic and evaluation purposes, school health services and school nurse services, social work services, parent counseling and training, assistive technology services, and early identification and assessment of disabilities (ORS 343.035(15)(a); 34 CFR 300.34). Assistive technology devices and services must be provided when required by the student's IEP; the State Board establishes definitions by rule (ORS 343.223). Oregon operates an eight-region Education Service District (ESD) network through Regional Inclusive Services (RIS) that provides specialized related services—including Braille instruction, sign language, audiology, physical and occupational therapy, and assistive technology—for students with low-incidence disabilities such as visual impairment, deafblindness, ASD, orthopedic impairment, and TBI when local districts lack sufficient capacity (ORS 343.236; OAR 581-015). Related services must be listed in the IEP with specificity as to frequency, location, duration, and start date. Oregon's Medicaid program covers certain IEP-related services provided by qualified school-based personnel, and ODE provides guidance on school-based Medicaid billing.
What Oregon Requires
The IEP must include a statement of all related services needed for the child to benefit from special education, including transportation and other developmental, corrective, and supportive services (34 CFR 300.34; ORS 343.035(15); ORS 343.151).
Related services must be specified in the IEP with frequency, location, duration, and start dates (34 CFR 300.320(a)(4),(7)).
Assistive technology devices and services must be provided as part of the IEP when required; the State Board defines these by rule (ORS 343.223; 34 CFR 300.105).
For students with low-incidence disabilities, specialized related services may be provided through Oregon's Regional Inclusive Services (RIS) via the eight-region ESD network (ORS 343.236).
Medical services are a related service only for diagnostic and evaluation purposes; medical treatment services beyond diagnosis and evaluation are not required (34 CFR 300.34(b)).
School districts may contract with ESDs, other districts, state-approved private agencies, or public agencies to provide required related services (ORS 343.221).
Oregon's Medicaid program allows school-based billing for IEP-related services provided by qualified personnel (ODE Medicaid guidance).
Key Timelines
Related services must be in effect at the beginning of each school year and as soon as possible after the IEP is developed (34 CFR 300.323(a)).
Related services must be reviewed and revised at least annually at the IEP Team meeting (34 CFR 300.324(b)).
Reevaluations every three years should reassess whether related services remain necessary and appropriate (34 CFR 300.303).