IDEA Part B and Alabama Rule Crosswalk

Special Education Services (SES) provides this crosswalk to help Alabama Local Education Agencies (LEAs) locate federal and state special education requirements by the work they are doing. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B regulations are in 34 CFR Part 300. Alabama’s special education rules are in Alabama Administrative Code (AAC), Chapter 290-8-9.

Choose a topic below, read the cited federal and state provisions, and then follow the linked implementation pages for practical steps. Citations are starting points, not a substitute for reading the full rule and any other applicable law. Alabama’s rules may provide additional detail, and a topic may span more than one provision in either source.

Federal reference:  34 CFR §300.111, Child Find](https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.111;  §300.301, initial evaluations https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.301.

Alabama reference: [AAC Rule 290-8-9-.01, Child Identification  

https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.01 

What to check: How potentially eligible children are identified and referred, how the LEA responds to a request for evaluation, and when an initial evaluation must be considered. Do not treat general education interventions as an automatic reason to delay an evaluation requested under IDEA.

The Special Education Process → Child Find and Referral 

Federal reference:  34 CFR §§300.300–300.311, consent, evaluations, reevaluations, and eligibility procedures https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.300; in particular  §300.304, evaluation procedures  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.304  and  §300.303, reevaluations  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.303 

Alabama reference:  AAC Rule 290-8-9-.02, Evaluations  https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.02; Rule 290-8-9-.03, Disability Definitions, Criteria, and Minimum Required Evaluative Components] https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.03.

What to check: Consent, assessment in all areas of suspected disability, nondiscriminatory procedures, documentation, and applicable state evaluation requirements. Use the current Alabama rule and SES guidance to verify any state-specific timelines and evaluative components rather than relying on a generic national checklist.

The Special Education Process → Evaluation and Reevaluation 

Federal reference:  34 CFR §300.306, determination of eligibility  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.306;  §300.300, parental consent  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.300;  §300.101, free appropriate public education (FAPE) https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.101.

Alabama reference:  AAC Rule 290-8-9-.03, disability criteria and evaluation components https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.03;  Rule 290-8-9-.04, Eligibility and Consent for Services https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.04.

What to check: The team’s documented eligibility decision, each applicable disability definition, educational need for special education and related services, and consent before initial provision of services. An evaluation result alone is not the entire eligibility decision.

The Special Education Process → Eligibility 

Federal reference: 34 CFR §§300.320–300.324, IEP content, team, parent participation, and review  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.320, including  §300.322, parent participation  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.322.

Alabama reference:  AAC Rule 290-8-9-.05, Individualized Education Program (IEP) https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.05.

What to check: Present levels, measurable annual goals, services, accommodations, assessment participation, progress reporting, required team membership, meaningful parent participation, and annual review. Read the exact provisions applicable to the student rather than treating an IEP form as the rule itself.

IEP Development & Implementation 

Federal reference:  34 CFR §§300.114–300.117, least restrictive environment (LRE), continuum, placement, and nonacademic settings  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.114;  §300.116, placements](https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.116.

Alabama reference: [AAC Rule 290-8-9-.06, Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.06.

What to check: The individualized placement decision, supplementary aids and services, access to the general education setting to the maximum extent appropriate, and availability of a continuum of options. A disability label or available program should not determine placement by itself.

The Special Education Process → Placement and LRE 

Federal reference:  34 CFR §300.34, related services  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.34;  §300.105, assistive technology https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.105;  §300.106, extended school year  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/b/300.106;  §300.324, development and implementation-related IEP decisions  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.324.

Alabama reference:  AAC Rule 290-8-9-.05, IEP  https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.05;  Rule 290-8-9-.07, Other Educational Services and Program Options  

https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.07.

What to check: Which special education, related services, supplementary aids and services, and program options the IEP Team has determined necessary for this student. State rules group some service and program matters differently than the federal regulations; consult both references rather than assuming a one-to-one match.

Related Services & Assistive Technology 

Federal reference:  34 CFR §§300.500–300.520, procedural safeguards and parent rights  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/e/300.500; §300.503, prior written notice  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/e/300.503;  §300.504, procedural safeguards notice https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/e/300.504;  §§300.610–300.626, confidentiality of information https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/f/300.610.

Alabama reference:  AAC Rule 290-8-9-.08, Procedural Safeguards  https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.08; consult other relevant AAC rules and Alabama’s current Special Education Rights document as appropriate.

What to check: Notice before proposed or refused actions, access to procedural safeguards, consent where required, parent access to records, and the appropriate dispute-resolution procedure. Prior written notice and consent are different requirements. FERPA also governs education records; see the separate [FERPA and Special Education Records] page.

Dispute Resolution & Procedural Safeguards 

Federal reference:  34 CFR §§300.530–300.537, discipline procedures, manifestation determinations, appeals, and related protections  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/e/300.530.

Alabama reference:  AAC Rule 290-8-9-.09, Discipline Procedures  https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.09.

What to check: Whether a removal is a disciplinary change of placement, when a manifestation determination is required, services during removals, protections for children not yet determined eligible, and parent notice and appeal rights. Use the actual removal history and current decision, not a general ‘10-day rule’ shorthand alone.

Behavior, Discipline & Manifestation 

Federal reference:  34 CFR §§300.600–300.609, state monitoring and enforcement  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/f/300.600; §300.201, LEA eligibility  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/c/300.201.

Alabama reference:  AAC Rule 290-8-9-.10, Administration  https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.10; Rule 290-8-9-.11, Case Manager for Children with Disabilities  https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.11, where applicable.

What to check: LEA procedures, program responsibilities, documentation, and applicable monitoring requirements. These citations identify related subjects; federal monitoring provisions are not a section-by-section translation of Alabama’s administration rule.

Data, Monitoring & Compliance 

Federal reference:  34 CFR §§300.600–300.609, state monitoring and enforcement  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/f/300.600; §300.201, LEA eligibility  https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/c/300.201.

Alabama reference:  AAC Rule 290-8-9-.10, Administration  https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.10; Rule 290-8-9-.11, Case Manager for Children with Disabilities  https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/290-8-9-.11, where applicable.

What to check: LEA procedures, program responsibilities, documentation, and applicable monitoring requirements. These citations identify related subjects; federal monitoring provisions are not a section-by-section translation of Alabama’s administration rule.

Data, Monitoring & Compliance