DPA IDEA Newsletter Feb/March 2026

We are proud to celebrate two outstanding schools whose dedication to students, families, and community truly sets them apart and reflects the very best of our mission.

Pearl River Elementary School (MS), a Tribally Controlled K–6 school, is being honored in Category 3: Excellence in Serving Special Populations of Students. This recognition is based on the BIE State SPP/APR Indicator Performance Report, which measures each school’s progress toward BIE targets and outcomes for students with disabilities. Pearl River has earned the highest Special Education Determination rating of “Meets Requirements” under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for nine consecutive years, from SY 2015–2016 through SY 2023–2024. This sustained success reflects strong inclusive practices, data-driven instruction, and collaborative systems of support. Through high expectations, cultural responsiveness, and an unwavering commitment to every learner, Pearl River Elementary stands as a model of excellence across the BIE.

We are also pleased to recognize Chitimacha Tribal School (LA) for its outstanding academic achievement and service to its community. The school sustained high performance in English Language Arts and Mathematics for two consecutive years, SY 2021–2022 and SY 2022–2023. In 2024, it was named one of 100 schools nationwide to be honored for exceptional student achievement, following its nomination by the DPA-SEP program.

Congratulations to both schools on this well-deserved recognition! Your dedication to your students, families, and communities inspires us all.

Name badges on. Notebooks open. Coffee acquired.

The BIE IDEA team took a (very official) field trip to the 2026 National ESEA Conference to learn, collaborate, and bring back ideas worth more than the swag bag.

Pictured from left to right: Detroit James, Colleen Clark, Jennifer Davis, and Eleanor Francis-Jones.

The BIE's Special Education Handbook was signed by Director Dearman and issued on January 7, 2026. It is included within the Indian Affairs Manual as Special Education Handbook 33 IAM 3-H. The Handbook can also be found on the BIE's website. An accompanying Dear School Leader Letter is also available.

Handbook Topics:

• Parent consent, involvement, and procedural safeguards
• Evaluations and reevaluations
• IEP development and Least Restrictive Environment
• Dispute resolution
• Child Find and FAPE
• Early intervening services
• Discipline
• Transition services
• Confidentiality and Personally Identifiable Information

Key Implementation Information:

1. During the 2025–2026 school year, schools should develop or revise their local procedures.
2. DPA IDEA will monitor implementation beginning in the 2026–2027 school year.

Support:

The DPA-IDEA has created short video modules for each of these topics to walk you through the updates and to support implementation. Reach out to your assigned DPA IDEA Education Specialist for technical assistance.

The Part B School application will be available in Plan4Learning in late March 2026 and must be submitted through the portal by June 30, 2026.

To ensure a smooth and accurate process, training will be offered. Schools are encouraged to begin planning early and collaborate closely with their site special education directors, coordinators, teachers and business managers. Thank you for your continued commitment to supporting students with disabilities!

For questions, contact Arlene Davis, arlene.davis@bie.edu or Joann Fields, joann.davis@bie.edu.

The Bureau of Indian Education Advisory Board for Exceptional Children has rescheduled its upcoming January meeting to April 30 - May 1, 2026, due to federal paperwork and Federal Register publication deadlines.

Meeting Locations: Virtually and in-person at the National Indian Programs Training Center, 1011 Indian School Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM. The meeting fulfills requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 for Indian children with disabilities.

Agenda

• Thursday, April 30, 2026: The Advisory Board will convene from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. MDT, following a board-only orientation and Department of the Interior ethics training earlier that morning. Presentations will include updates from the Sovereignty in Indian Education Office on Special Education Part C Early Childhood programs, as well as BIE Special Education updates from the Division of Performance and Accountability. One public comment session will be held from 2:00 – 2:15 p.m. MDT.
• Friday, May 1, 2026: The meeting will run from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. MDT. The Board will work on priorities and plan future meeting logistics. Public comments can be made any time during Board work time from 9:45 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. MDT. Comments may be provided verbally during the webinar or in writing via the online chat.

To attend, please register. Attendees register once and can attend one or both meeting events. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with details on joining the meeting.

For more information, contact Jennifer Davis, Designated Federal Officer, at Jennifer.Davis@bie.edu or (202) 860-7845.

• IEP Manual (Updated November 2025)
• Procedural Safeguards Notice (Updated December 2025)
• Special Education Handbook (Updated January 2026)

Did you know the Procedural Safeguards Notice must be provided at least once every year and at other specific times under IDEA, including:

• Upon initial referral or parent request for evaluation.
• Upon receipt of the first State complaint or due process complaint in a school year.
• Upon a disciplinary change of placement.
• Upon parent request.

Procedural safeguards are not just a compliance requirement. They are foundational to trust, transparency, and meaningful family engagement. As educators, we play an important role in making those rights meaningful. Beyond providing the document, we are responsible for ensuring parents understand their rights and have opportunities to ask questions.

Access our updated Procedural Safeguards Notice to ensure your community receives accurate, clear information about parent/guardian rights under IDEA.

Disagreements can arise as schools and families work together to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, dispute-resolution options are designed to address concerns early, collaboratively, and with the student’s best interests at the center.

Educators play a critical role in preventing disputes by fostering clear communication, documenting decision-making, and meaningfully engaging families as partners in the IEP process. When concerns arise, informal problem-solving and early-resolution strategies, such as mediation, often address issues before they escalate into formal complaints or due-process hearings.

As spring approaches, schools have a valuable opportunity to strengthen Secondary Transition services by expanding real‑world, student‑centered activities. This season is ideal for conducting age‑appropriate transition assessments, updating postsecondary goals, and aligning courses of study with students’ emerging interests. Administrators can support teams by ensuring time is built into schedules for job‑shadowing, career fairs, campus visits, and work‑based learning experiences. These activities help students connect classroom learning to future pathways. Spring is also a strategic moment to review IEPs for compliance and quality, and to confirm that secondary transition plans continue to align with students' hopes and desires.

Summer offers schools additional flexibility to deepen transition planning and provide meaningful experiences that may not fit easily into the academic year. Summer programs, community‑based instruction, paid or unpaid work experiences, and partnerships with tribal programs, VR agencies, or local employers can all help students build skills and confidence. Administrators play a key role in coordinating these opportunities, removing logistical barriers, and ensuring families are informed and engaged. By leveraging both spring and summer months, schools can create a more coherent, equitable secondary transition program that prepares students with disabilities for successful post‑school outcomes.

The BIE Division of Performance and Accountability submitted its required Individuals with Disabilities Education Act annual report on time last month. This report summarizes key special education performance indicators — including student outcomes — as part of BIE’s six-year State Performance Plan and is submitted annually to the Office for Special Education Programs. Using SY 2024–2025 data from Year 5 of the plan, DPA is highlighting three key data points that reflect progress in BIE-funded schools.

First, participation rates for students with disabilities in reading and mathematics assessments improved across Grades 4, 8, and high school. Federal law requires all students with disabilities to participate in statewide assessments, either through the general assessment (with or without accommodations) or, in rare cases, an alternate assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities. BIE’s target is the federally established minimum participation rate of 95 percent. As shown in the charts below, participation increased compared to last year, and Grades 4 and 8 met or exceeded the 95 percent target, while high school also showed improvement.

The LSPP submission process involves two key checkpoints: the First Checkpoint due by February 27, 2026, and the Second and Final Checkpoint due by May 2, 2026.

• The First/Initial Checkpoint focuses on the completion and quality of required indicator narratives, baseline data, and proposed improvement activities.
• The Second and Final Checkpoint will focus on evidence of implementation, progress monitoring, and outcome data.

The success of this process depends on proactive collaboration, thorough planning, and consistent communication within your school team. Schools are expected to convene their school leadership team and Special Education staff to review LSPP indicators, assign responsibilities for data collection and narrative development, and ensure improvement activities are being implemented prior to each checkpoint.

All LSPP narratives, activities, and supporting evidence must be entered and maintained in Plan4Learning, the official record for LSPP implementation and monitoring. Submissions will be reviewed for both completeness and quality, including alignment between data, narratives, and evidence of implementation.

For questions, contact:

• Your assigned DPA-IDEA Education Program Specialist

• Dr. Eleanor Francis-Jones (eleanor.francis-jones@bie.edu), LSPP Lead

• Detroit James (detroit.james@bie.edu), LSPP Assist

The Parent Survey window for SY 2025–2026 opened on the Plan4Learning platform in December 2025. Based on school feedback, the Division of Performance and Accountability/Special Education Program released the survey earlier to allow schools more time throughout the school year to support parent participation and completion.

All related information and materials have been posted in Plan4Learning. Below are a few suggestions for administering the survey. Parent surveys may be completed following IEP meetings or during other parent conferences using one of the following options:

• Paper copy of the parent survey
• Online link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BIEParentSurvey

• QR code

Completed paper surveys may be:

• Uploaded to Plan4Learning within the 'Uploads – Indicator 8' section
• Scanned and emailed directly to Melanie Star at melanie.star@bie.edu

If you need a copy of the presentation, admin & parent letters, assistance with uploading documents, or have any questions, please contact Melanie Star at melanie.star@bie.edu.

Data only matters if it drives better support for students with disabilities. In the Data Digest, we’ll highlight actionable practices to strengthen IDEA implementation — whether that’s improving progress monitoring, identifying students in need of intervention, or using data insights to guide team decisions. Small data moves can lead to big student gains.

The BIE Division of Performance and Accountability’s IDEA team has created a series of short videos and quick reference guides to assist school-based and regional special education staff. These concise resources aim to make IDEA easier to understand and implement, helping educators feel more confident in their work.