How long does it take a child to start receiving services after a referral for early intervention? That is one example of a question families could put to the U.S. Department of Education by December 11. A November 13 notice asks the public what federal researchers should study about how states and local agencies carry out the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, known as IDEA. The notice seeks research questions; it does not change who qualifies for services.
The law behind the evaluation puts two kinds of services in scope: early intervention for infants and toddlers with disabilities or at risk of substantial developmental delays, and a free appropriate public education for children with disabilities. The notice asks what the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, part of the Institute of Education Sciences, should prioritize over the next five years, including questions about access, services and educational outcomes, and procedural safeguards.
The department also asks which questions existing records can answer and which would need new data. For the early intervention example, a count of children receiving services would show how many were served, but it would not show how long they waited. To study that, researchers would need dates for referrals and the start of services. They would also need a way to account for children who were referred but never started. That distinction gives commenters a way to turn a concern about access into a question researchers can test.
The Federal Register notice directs readers to submit comments through Regulations.gov with docket number ED-2026-IES-3268 at the top. The department says it will review every comment but the institute will not respond to comments directly. Comments are public in full, so leave out a child’s name and any other details you do not want posted. If you need an accommodation or cannot use the portal, the notice lists a program contact.