Service-by-Service Guidance

Each related service has its own eligibility considerations and documentation practices. The summaries below help the IEP Team ask the right questions; the student's individual needs and the evaluation data drive the final decision.

• IDEA, 20 U.S.C. §1401(26);  34 CFR §300.34, including the full related services list https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.34 

• Alabama Administrative Code, Rule 290-8-9-.05 and Rule 290-8-9-.07

Speech-language pathology.  When the Communication Needs special factor is checked Yes for articulation, stuttering, voice, language disorders, or augmentative communication needs, the need must be addressed in the IEP. For speech or language impairment eligibility, the adverse effect on educational performance must be considered (the OSEP guidance letter on this question is on the SES Subject Resources page). Make-up sessions for missed therapy should be handled consistently and documented.

Occupational and physical therapy.  OT and PT support fine and gross motor needs that affect educational access. The ALSDE Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Manual (SES Subject Resources page) is the state reference for evaluation, service delivery, and documentation practices.

Counseling and psychological services.  Address social, emotional, and behavioral needs that interfere with progress. Counseling as a related service should be distinguished from general school counseling available to all students.

School nurse and school health services.These cover health services needed for the student to attend and participate. Remember the exclusion: medical services are a related service for diagnostic and evaluation purposes only, and surgical and medical treatments are not school responsibilities.

Orientation and mobility.  For students with visual impairments, O&M instruction in safe and efficient travel is typically delivered by qualified personnel and documented like any other related service.

Interpreting and audiology services.  For students who are deaf or hard of hearing, the IEP Team considers language and communication needs, opportunities for direct communication, and the student's mode of communication. The LEA must ensure hearing aids worn in school are functioning properly. Interpreter qualifications matter: note the Alabama Licensure Board for Interpreters and Transliterators (ALBIT) requirements posted on the SES Subject Resources page.

Transportation.  Most students with disabilities ride the same transportation as nondisabled students. If the IEP Team determines the student needs special transportation for FAPE, it is a related service: document the mode, medical or adult support needs, wheelchair lift or securement, and any behavior plan shared with bus personnel. A transportation department representative should be included in or consulted before the meeting. Transportation for extracurricular activities must be provided on the same basis as for students without disabilities.

Parent counseling and training.  Assists parents in understanding their child's disability and its educational implications and in acquiring skills to support the IEP at home.

Recreation and social work services.  Support participation and school success, documented like other related services.

• Connect each service discussion to evaluation data and the student's present levels.

• Use the state manuals and guidance on the SES Subject Resources page for service-specific questions.

• Document special transportation needs with input from the transportation department.

• Re-check hearing aids and amplification routinely for students who are deaf or hard of hearing..

• Communication needs checked Yes with no service, goal, or support in the IEP

• Bus personnel not informed of a student's BIP or transportation needs

• Counseling recommended in an evaluation but never addressed by the IEP Team

• Missed therapy sessions without documented make-up decisions

SES Subject Resources  https://www.alabamaachieves.org/special-education/subject-resources/: OT and PT Manual, OSEP speech-language impairment guidance, ALBIT interpreter licensure update, and discipline resources.