Map of the IDEA Part B regulations (34 CFR Part 300) by topic
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
34 CFR Part 300 is the federal regulation that carries out Part B of IDEA, the special education law for children ages 3 through 21. It is split into eight subparts: general definitions, state and district eligibility, evaluations and IEPs, procedural safeguards, monitoring and confidentiality, funding, and preschool grants. Most school questions land in subparts D and E.
IDEA is the statute Congress passed. 34 CFR Part 300 is the set of regulations the U.S. Department of Education wrote to carry out Part B, the part covering school-age and preschool special education.[1][2] Early intervention for infants and toddlers is in a separate regulation, Part 303.[4]
Section numbers follow a pattern. The hundreds digit tells you the subpart, so 300.320 is in subpart D and 300.530 is in subpart E. Once you know the map, you can find most rules in a minute. This page describes the federal structure only; your state's regulations add to it and sometimes set shorter timelines or extra requirements.
The subparts at a glance
"State variation" flags where states commonly add rules on top of the federal floor.
| Subpart | Sections | What it covers | Most-cited sections | State variation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A: General | 300.1 to 300.45 | Purposes and definitions: child with a disability, FAPE, parent, related services, special education | 300.8 disability categories[5], 300.17 FAPE[6], 300.34 related services[7], 300.39 special education[8] | Some states define categories further |
| B: State eligibility | 300.100 to 300.199 | What each state must guarantee: FAPE, child find, LRE, private school children, state complaints | 300.101 FAPE[9], 300.111 child find[10], 300.114 LRE[11], 300.151 to 300.153 state complaints[12] | Often: state complaint forms and procedures |
| C: Local eligibility | 300.200 to 300.230 | What each district must do to get funds | Early intervening services, district policies | Sometimes |
| D: Evaluations, eligibility, IEPs, placement | 300.300 to 300.328 | Consent, evaluation and reevaluation, eligibility, IEP content, team, meetings, implementation | 300.300 consent[13], 300.301 evaluation timeline[14], 300.320 IEP content[15], 300.321 team[16], 300.324 IEP development[17] | Often: evaluation timelines, transition age |
| E: Procedural safeguards | 300.500 to 300.537 | IEE, prior written notice, safeguards notice, mediation, due process, stay put, surrogates, transfer of rights, discipline | 300.502 IEE[18], 300.503 notice[19], 300.507 due process[20], 300.518 stay put[21], 300.530 discipline[22] | Sometimes: filing limits, hearing systems |
| F: Monitoring, enforcement, confidentiality | 300.600 to 300.646 | State monitoring, data, records confidentiality, disproportionality | 300.613 access to records[23], 300.623 safeguards[24] | Sometimes: records timelines |
| G: Funding | 300.700 and following | How federal money is allotted and may be used | Rarely cited by school teams | Rarely |
| H: Preschool grants | 300.800 to 300.818 | Grants for children ages 3 through 5 | Used by preschool programs | Varies |
The sections teams use most, by question
| Question | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Does this student qualify? | 300.8 categories; 300.306 eligibility; 300.307 to 300.311 learning disabilities |
| Do we need the parent's signature? | 300.300 consent |
| How long do we have to evaluate? | 300.301 (60 days or the state's timeline) |
| What has to be in the IEP? | 300.320 |
| Who must attend the meeting? | 300.321 and 300.322 |
| When can we change the IEP without a meeting? | 300.324 |
| What notice do we owe? | 300.503 prior written notice; 300.504 safeguards notice |
| Parent disagrees with our evaluation | 300.502 |
| Discipline beyond 10 days | 300.530 to 300.536 |
| Parent asks for records | 300.613; FERPA in 34 CFR Part 99[25] |
One student's year through the regulations
This scenario is fictional.
Nora, age 7, struggles to read in grade 2.
- September 15: Her teacher refers her for evaluation. The district sends the procedural safeguards notice (300.504) and prior written notice proposing an evaluation (300.503).
- September 22: Her mother signs consent for an initial evaluation (300.300). The 60-day clock starts in this state (300.301).
- November 14: On day 53, the team finds Nora eligible under specific learning disability (300.8 and 300.306 to 300.311).
- December 2: The IEP is written within 30 days of eligibility (300.323) with goals and services (300.320). Her mother consents to initial services (300.300).
- February 10: Nora's mother asks to see the speech log. The district lets her review it within a week (300.613).
- April 5: Nora is suspended for 2 days after a fight. No added procedures apply yet, because she has been removed for fewer than 10 school days this year (300.530 and 300.536).
- May 20: Her mother disagrees with an updated reading assessment and asks for an IEE (300.502).
Every step sits in subpart D or E. That is typical.
Where states most often add rules
States must meet the federal floor and may go further. The places school teams most often find a state rule on top of Part 300 are the evaluation timeline, the age when transition planning starts, the time limit for filing due process, whether there is one or two tiers of hearings, the forms used for prior written notice and IEPs, and limits on discipline for young children. When a federal section and a state rule both apply, follow the one that gives the student or parent more protection, and confirm with the state manual.
How to read a regulation
- Read the whole section, including definitions. "Day" means calendar day unless the rule says school or business day.
- Check the statute too. The regulation follows 20 U.S.C. 1414 and 1415, and courts read them together.[2][3]
- Check your state's rules. States can add requirements. They cannot take away federal rights.
- Look for guidance. The Department of Education publishes question-and-answer documents and letters on specific topics, such as dispute resolution.[26]
The IDEA glossary entry defines the law in two lines. The special education rights overview maps the parent-facing rights to these sections, and the IEP timelines guide collects the deadlines. To track annual review and reevaluation dates, use the IEP due date calculator. If a team is unsure how a rule applies to a specific student, the district's special education office or legal counsel is the place to ask.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between IDEA and 34 CFR Part 300?
IDEA is the federal statute passed by Congress. 34 CFR Part 300 is the set of regulations the U.S. Department of Education wrote to carry out Part B of that statute. Schools follow both, plus state law.
Where are the IDEA discipline rules?
In subpart E, sections 300.530 to 300.536. They cover removals, manifestation determinations, interim settings, appeals, and protections for children not yet found eligible.
Is early intervention in 34 CFR Part 300?
No. Services for infants and toddlers under Part C of IDEA are in 34 CFR Part 303. Part 300 covers children ages 3 through 21.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- IDEA in the IEP glossary
- Procedural safeguards in the IEP glossary
- FAPE in the IEP glossary
- IEP due date calculator
Related guides
- Special education rights for parents and students: an overview
- Mediation vs due process vs state complaint
- Prior written notice: when it is required and what it contains
- When the IEP is not being implemented
- Procedural safeguards in plain language
Sources
- 34 CFR Part 300: Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities, eCFR (National Archives)
- 20 U.S.C. §1414: Evaluations, eligibility determinations, individualized education programs, and educational placements, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 20 U.S.C. §1415: Procedural safeguards, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR Part 303: Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities, eCFR (National Archives)
- 34 CFR §300.8: Child with a disability, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.17: Free appropriate public education, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.34: Related services, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.39: Special education, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.101: Free appropriate public education (FAPE), Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.111: Child find, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.114: LRE requirements, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.151: Adoption of State complaint procedures, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.300: Parental consent, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.301: Initial evaluations, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.321: IEP Team, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 34 CFR §300.502: Independent educational evaluation, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.503: Prior notice by the public agency; content of notice, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.507: Filing a due process complaint, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.518: Child's status during proceedings, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.530: Authority of school personnel, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.613: Access rights, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.623: Safeguards, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR Part 99: Family Educational Rights and Privacy, eCFR (National Archives)
- OSEP Memo and Q&A on Dispute Resolution (July 23, 2013), U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs
Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.