Office of Special Education

About the Office of Special Education

This office administers both the state's Exceptional Children's Educational Act (ECEA) and the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for children with disabilities. This website is a resource for teachers, administrators, and parents of students with exceptional educational needs due to disability, or learners who are culturally and/or linguistically diverse or have some other special need. The Office of Special Education is one of three offices within the Exceptional Student Services Unit (along with the Office of Facility Schools and the Office of Gifted Education).

Colorado’s IDEA Part B Application for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2025

The Colorado Department of Education is making available for public review and comment the following proposed document: The State of Colorado’s Part B Application for grant funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2025 (which funds State Fiscal Year 2026).  Hard copies of the document may be downloaded and printed from the link below.  The application must be publicly posted for 60 days of which public comments will be accepted for 30 days.  Public comments will be accepted from April 21, 2025 until 5:00 pm on May 20, 2025.  Send comments to Vicki Graham by email. ([email protected])

IDEA Application for Federal Fiscal Year 2025 (PDF) (posted March 21, 2025)

Stay Up To Date

AU Special Education Director of Record and Fiscal Contact Information

ESSU must have current contact information for all state-level Special Education Directors and Special Education Fiscal Contacts. Our office communicates important updates and information through our listserv, please be sure that we have accurate, updated information. Communications from this listserv will come from CDE_SPED.

• AU SPED Director of Record and Fiscal Contact Information

ESSU Newsletter

The ESSU e-newsletter is our office's primary form of communication with the field. It is published once a month and contains information from the Office of Gifted and Talented, Office of Facility Schools, and Office of Special Education.

• ESSU Newsletter Sign-up

• Archived ESSU Newsletters

Quick Links

Ways to Search this Site

1. You can use the Google Search box (only searches CDE) at the top right side of the webpage and type in what you are looking for.
   
2. You can use our Topic Index - an alphabetical list of topics for the Office of Special Education.