Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 33— - EDUCATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - ASSISTANCE FOR EDUCATION OF ALL CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES › § 1419
Provides grants from the Secretary of Education to help states pay for special education and related services for children with disabilities aged 3 through 5. States may also use the money for some 2‑year‑olds who will turn 3 during the school year. To get a grant, a state must already qualify for special education funds and must make a free appropriate public education available to all children with disabilities aged 3 through 5 in the state. The money is split among states by a formula that keeps each state’s 1997 base amount, then divides remaining funds mostly by the number of children aged 3–5 (85%) and partly by the number of those children living in poverty (15%). The formula uses the latest population data and includes protections so states do not get less than certain prior amounts. If total funding falls, allocations are adjusted by special rules that compare current funding to 1997 and to the prior year. Each state may set aside a state-level reserve equal to 25% of its 1997 grant, adjusted each year by the smaller of the state’s grant increase or the Consumer Price Index. Up to 20% of that reserve may be used for administration and coordination, including work with other programs. The rest must be used for things like support services (including mediation), direct services to eligible children, activities to meet state performance goals, building a statewide coordinated services system (no more than 1% of the state grant), early intervention services for children who move from early intervention until they enter kindergarten (including school‑readiness help), and, if the state chooses, continued case management for families. States must send the remaining grant money to eligible local education agencies. Local agencies first receive a hold‑harmless amount based on 1997 distributions, then leftover funds are split 85% by the number of school children and 15% by the number of children in poverty. If a local agency is already serving all eligible 3–5‑year‑olds, the state may move its unused funds to other local agencies that need them. The early intervention rules in subchapter III do not apply to any child served with these grant funds. "State" means the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Funds are authorized as needed.
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Legislative History
Reference
Citation
20 U.S.C. § 1419
Title 20 — Education
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73