Definitions of Intervention/Educational Settings

Early intervention  (birth through 2 settings are federally described as follows:

• Home: Early intervention services are provided primarily in the principal residence of the child’s family or caregivers.

• Community-based settings: Early intervention services are provided primarily in a setting where children without disabilities typically are found. These settings include but are not limited to child care centers (including family day care), preschools, regular nursery schools, early childhood center, libraries, grocery stores, parks, restaurants, and community centers (e.g., YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs).

• Other settings: Early intervention services are provided primarily in a setting that is not home or community-based.  These settings include, but are not limited to, services provided in a hospital, residential facility, clinic, and EI center/class for children with disabilities.  If “other “is selected, please specify.

Early childhood special education program settings (aged 3 through 5) are federally defined as follows:

• Regular early childhood program at least 80% of the time: Children who attended an early childhood program and were in the early childhood program for at least 80% of time.

• Regular early childhood program 40% to 79% of the time: Children who attended an early childhood program and were in the early childhood program for no more than 79% but no less than 40% of time.

• Regular early childhood program less than 40 % of the time: Children who attended an early childhood program and were in the early childhood program for less than 40% of time

• Separate class: Children in a class with less than 50% nondisabled children. Do not include children who also attended a regular early childhood program.  This would include students in only a PPCD classroom and no other early childhood setting.

• Separate school: Children who received education programs in public or private day schools designed specifically for children with disabilities. 

• Residential facility: Children who received education programs in publicly or privately operated residential schools or residential medical facilities on an inpatient basis. 

• Service provider location: Children who received all of their special education and related services from a service provider, and who did not attend an early childhood program or a special education program provided in a separate class, separate school, or residential facility.  For example, speech instruction provided in:
• private clinicians’ offices
• clinicians’ offices located in school buildings
• hospital facilities on an outpatient basis
• libraries and other public locations

Do not include children who also received special education at home.  Children who received special education both in a service provider location and at home should be reported in the home category.

• Home: Children who received special education and related services in the principal residence of the child's family or caregivers, and who did not attend an early childhood program or a special education program provided in a separate class, separate school, or residential facility. Include children who receive special education both at home and in a service provider location.

School-aged (aged 6 through 21) special education program settings are federally describes as follows:

• Inside the regular class 80 percent or more of the day: Students who were inside the regular classroom for 80 percent or more of the school day.    This may include children with disabilities placed in:
• regular class with special education/related services provided within regular classes
• regular class with special education/related services provided outside regular classes
• regular class with special education services provided in resource rooms
• Inside regular class no more than 79% of day and no less than 40% percent of the day: Students were inside the regular classroom between 40 and 79% of the day.  Do not include children who are reported as receiving education programs in public or private separate school or residential facilities. This may include children placed in:
• resource rooms with special education/related services provided within the resource room
• resource rooms with part-time instruction in a regular class

• Inside regular class less than 40 percent of the day:  Students who were inside the regular classroom less than 40 percent of the day.  Do not include children who are reported as receiving education programs in public or private separate school or residential facilities. This category may include children placed in:
• self-contained special classrooms with part-time instruction in a regular class
• self-contained special classrooms with full-time special education instruction on a regular school campus

• Separate school.  Students who received education programs in public or private separate day school facilities.  This includes children with disabilities receiving special education and related services for greater than 50 percent of the school day in public or private separate schools.  This may include children placed in:
• public and private day schools for students with disabilities
• public and private day schools for students with disabilities for a portion of the school day (greater than 50 percent) and in regular school buildings for the remainder of the school day
• public and private residential facilities if the student does not live at the facility

• Residential facility:  Students who received education programs and lived in public or private residential facilities during the school week.  This includes children with disabilities receiving special education and related services for greater than 50 percent of the school day in public or private residential facilities. This may include children placed in:
• public and private residential schools for students with disabilities
• public and private residential schools for students with disabilities for a portion of the school day (greater than 50 percent) and in separate day schools or regular school buildings for the remainder of the school day

Do not include students who received education programs at the facility, but do not live there.

• Homebound/Hospital: Students who received education programs in homebound/hospital environment includes children with disabilities placed in and receiving special education and related services in:
• hospital programs
• homebound programs

Do not include children with disabilities whose parents have opted to home school them and who receive special education at the public expense.

• Correctional facilities: Students who received special education in correctional facilities.  These data are intended to be a count of all children receiving special education in:
• short-term detention facilities (community-based or residential)
• correctional facilities

• Parentally placed in private schools:  Student’s who have been enrolled by their parents or guardians in regular parochial or other private schools and whose basic education is paid through private resources and who receive special e education and related services at public expense from a local educational agency or intermediate educational unit under a service plan. Include children whose parents chose to home school them, but who receive special education and related services at the public expense.  Do not include children who are placed in private schools by the LEA.