HI, Michelle! This has been an on-going discussion in the Blind/Visually Impaired field. OSEP wrote a letter in May, 2017 confirming services are based on need after ophthalmologist/optometrist reports and necessary testing, rather than narrowing eligibility to a specific condition. States have been charged with updating their criteria. Attached is the OSEP letter. Jeanne-Marie Kopecky *Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind* Director of Outreach ~ blind/visually impaired *cell: 208-539-2862 fax: 208-934-8352 **office: 208-934-4457* Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist *office:1450 Main Street, Gooding, Idaho 83330* On Thu, Apr 12, 2018 at 8:18 AM, Michelle McHugh via AERNet < aernet@lists.aerbvi.org> wrote: > You are subscribed to AERNet, The Association for Education and > Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired Listserv. > > To post a message to all the list members, send an email to > aernet@lists.aerbvi.org. > > Address list requests to: aernet-request@lists.aerbvi.org > > To unsubscribe from this list, go to http://lists.aerbvi.org/ > mailman/listinfo/aernet_lists.aerbvi.org and follow instructions to > unsubscribe. Go to the same address to access the list archives. > _______________________________________________ > AERNet mailing list > AERNet@lists.aerbvi.org > http://lists.aerbvi.org/mailman/listinfo/aernet_lists.aerbvi.org > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Michelle McHugh <mtwocat11@aol.com> > To: aernet@lists.aerbvi.org > Cc: > Bcc: > Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2018 10:18:56 -0400 > Subject: IDEA > Hi All, > I just completed an eval for a 6.5 month female who qualifies for vision > services. The EIOD however, states she does not b/c she not has a muscle > imbalance. She I fact has severe farsightedness. This little girl lives > in NY, Suffolk County. > > Does anyone know where IDEA states vision services are determined by > functional scores. I want to add the exact passage to my report and that > federal law trumps state law . > > As usual, I appreciate your direction, Michelle . > > Sent from my iPad > > >

Hi Michelle - The recent IDEA memo mainly applies to part "B" of IDEA (ages 3-21). For part "C," eligibility (birth to 3) is somewhat different. States can determine what they consider to be "developmental delay" and risk for developmental delay under IDEA. There is less concern with a category of disability and therefore very little in the way of vision-specific qualification requirements (at least at the federal level; states may develop their own policies). A good resource is the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center: http://ectacenter.org/ Also http://www.parentcenterhub.org AFB/FamilyConnect also has some resources and explanations here: http://www.familyconnect.org/info/education/know-your-rights/early-intervention-services/135 Thanks! Rebecca From: AERNet [mailto:aernet-bounces@lists.aerbvi.org] On Behalf Of Kopecky, Jeanne-Marie Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2018 10:36 AM To: Michelle McHugh <mtwocat11@aol.com> Cc: AERNET <aernet@lists.aerbvi.org> Subject: Re: [AERNet] IDEA HI, Michelle! This has been an on-going discussion in the Blind/Visually Impaired field. OSEP wrote a letter in May, 2017 confirming services are based on need after ophthalmologist/optometrist reports and necessary testing, rather than narrowing eligibility to a specific condition. States have been charged with updating their criteria. Attached is the OSEP letter. Jeanne-Marie Kopecky Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind Director of Outreach ~ blind/visually impaired cell: 208-539-2862 fax: 208-934-8352 office: 208-934-4457 Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist office:1450 Main Street, Gooding, Idaho 83330 On Thu, Apr 12, 2018 at 8:18 AM, Michelle McHugh via AERNet <aernet@lists.aerbvi.org<mailto:aernet@lists.aerbvi.org>> wrote: You are subscribed to AERNet, The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired Listserv. To post a message to all the list members, send an email to aernet@lists.aerbvi.org<mailto:aernet@lists.aerbvi.org>. Address list requests to: aernet-request@lists.aerbvi.org<mailto:aernet-request@lists.aerbvi.org> To unsubscribe from this list, go to http://lists.aerbvi.org/mailman/listinfo/aernet_lists.aerbvi.org and follow instructions to unsubscribe. Go to the same address to access the list archives. _______________________________________________ AERNet mailing list AERNet@lists.aerbvi.org<mailto:AERNet@lists.aerbvi.org> http://lists.aerbvi.org/mailman/listinfo/aernet_lists.aerbvi.org ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Michelle McHugh <mtwocat11@aol.com<mailto:mtwocat11@aol.com>> To: aernet@lists.aerbvi.org<mailto:aernet@lists.aerbvi.org> Cc: Bcc: Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2018 10:18:56 -0400 Subject: IDEA Hi All, I just completed an eval for a 6.5 month female who qualifies for vision services. The EIOD however, states she does not b/c she not has a muscle imbalance. She I fact has severe farsightedness. This little girl lives in NY, Suffolk County. Does anyone know where IDEA states vision services are determined by functional scores. I want to add the exact passage to my report and that federal law trumps state law . As usual, I appreciate your direction, Michelle . Sent from my iPad