Arkansas DESE - Office of Special Education; local school districts
Special Education and IEPs (K-12, through age 21)
Public schools must evaluate and provide a free appropriate public education, with an IEP, for eligible students with disabilities ages 3-21.
Official websiteOfficial Path
School & LearningSchool ageTransition (14–21)
Who qualifies
- Age
- 3 through 21
- Needs
- Eligible under IDEA after evaluation
- Income
- None - free
What it covers
- Evaluation
- IEP
- Specialized instruction and related services
- Transition planning (by the IEP in effect at age 16)
How to apply
- 1Request an evaluation in writing from your school district
- 2Participate in the eligibility and IEP meetings
- 3CIRCUIT (DESE's central intake team) can connect families to specialized consultants for autism, behavior, sensory, and physical disabilities
Official sourceLast checked September 24, 2026
Sources
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