Special education in Ohio

What Ohio calls special education, how long each step takes, who to call, free help, paying for services, and how the state scores.

Special education in Ohio

Special education is called

Special Education (Office for Exceptional Children)

The IEP meeting

IEP team meeting

Eligibility team

ETR (Evaluation Team Report) team

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days. From consent; separate 30 days before the clock to propose evaluation and seek consent (OAC 3301-51-06)

IEP timeline

30 days (federal)

Transition planning starts

14 (being checked)

Rights transfer to the student at

Developmental delay category

3 to 5 historically; 2024-25 child count shows small counts at 6 to 9 (check for a recent rule change)

Dyslexia law

yes: ORC 3323.251 (HB 436, 2020): tier 1 dyslexia screening K-3 from 2022-23

Find your district and schools

1,061 districts and charter districts. 59 special education schools and 335 public charter schools.

Get your Hall Pass Schools in Ohio Services for children in Ohio (on Disability Atlas)

The state office and your options when you disagree

State special education office

Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, Office for Exceptional Children (614) 466-2650

Procedural safeguards (your rights notice)

Read the state's notice

Mediation

Ask for mediation

State complaint

File a state complaint

Due process

Ask for a due process hearing

Free help for families

Parent centers

Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities
Parent Training and Information Center (PTI), Marion
(844) 382-5452

Disability rights agency

Disability Rights Ohio
Protection and Advocacy Agency, Columbus
(614) 466-7264

Advocacy groups in Ohio

Paying for it

Medicaid for children

Ohio Medicaid (Healthy Start)

CHIP

Healthy Start (CHIP)

Apply

Apply for coverage

Medicaid for children with disabilities, whatever the family's income

no (KFF 2026)

Schools bill Medicaid for health services

Autism insurance law

yes. caps not listed

Scholarship or ESA for students with disabilities

both: Autism Scholarship; Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship; EdChoice Expansion voucher (universal); tax-credit scholarship

Program page

Official program page

How school, Medicaid and insurance fit together

How Ohio scores

First edition. These grades are new (November 2026) and the weights may still change. Texas graduation data is being confirmed with the state.

State of Schools

C+

Rank 18 of 51

State of Support

B-

Rank 17 of 51

Combined

C+

Rank 18 of 51

Pillar	Grade
Following the law	B
Learning together	C+
Results	C-
School funding	C
Family protections	C
Options and transition	C+

IDEA determination 2026: Meets. How we grade.

Sources for this page are listed in the SPED Atlas research tables (state terms, state help, paying for it). Items marked "being checked" are waiting on a primary source.

Last reviewed: November 2026. Rules, programs and phone numbers change. Check with the office named on this page. Report outdated or wrong information.