IDEA Disability Categories in Wyoming
What disability categories qualify for an IEP in Wyoming?
Wyoming recognizes all 13 federal IDEA disability categories for eligibility determination under WY Rules Ch. 7 § 5. The categories are: autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment including blindness. Wyoming uses the same federal terminology for most categories, without state-specific renaming (unlike some states). Eligibility for any category requires that: (1) the child has the disability, (2) the disability adversely affects educational performance, and (3) the child needs special education and related services as a result. Wyoming must make FAPE available to eligible students with disabilities ages 3 through 21 (Wyo. Stat. § 21-3-101; WY Rules Ch. 7 § 2).
What Wyoming Requires
Wyoming recognizes all 13 IDEA disability categories: autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech/language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment including blindness (WY Rules Ch. 7 § 5; 34 CFR 300.8).
Eligibility requires three prongs: (1) the child has the disability, (2) it adversely affects educational performance, and (3) the child needs special education as a result (WY Rules Ch. 7 § 5; 34 CFR 300.8(a)).
Wyoming uses standard federal terminology for disability categories — there are no state-specific renamed categories (WY Rules Ch. 7 § 5).
FAPE must be made available to eligible students with disabilities ages 3 through 21, including students who have graduated and are still within the age range (Wyo. Stat. § 21-3-101; WY Rules Ch. 7 § 2).
Developmental delay may be used as a category for children ages 3 through 9 as an alternative to a specific disability label when appropriate (WY Rules Ch. 7 § 5(n); 34 CFR 300.111(b)).
Key Timelines
Eligibility must be re-evaluated at least every three years (triennial reevaluation), unless the parent and district agree otherwise (WY Rules Ch. 7 § 6(d); 34 CFR 300.303).
Eligibility determination must be made within 60 calendar days of parental consent for initial evaluation (WY Rules Ch. 7 § 6(a)(i)).
FAPE obligations continue through the end of the school year in which the student turns 21 (Wyo. Stat. § 21-3-101).