Special Education Methodology Updates and Target Setting

Special Education Indicator Stakeholder Engagement

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce invites stakeholders connected to students with disabilities to provide input on updates to Ohio’s methodology and targets for federal special education indicators. 

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ffy2026-2031 SPP/apr stakeholder engagement

The Department is seeking input from stakeholders on performance targets and improvement activities to improve outcomes for students with disabilities.
 

Why is Ohio seeking stakeholder engagement?

Every state is required to submit a State Performance Plan (SPP)/Annual Performance Report (APR) each year to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Ohio’s submission, due February 2028, launches a new six year cycle covering Federal Fiscal Years (FFY) 2026–2031.

As part of the new cycle, OSEP requires states to engage stakeholders in reviewing, examining, and recommending updates to SPP/APR targets (state goals) for performance indicators included in the new package.

Ohio’s stakeholder engagement process is designed to ensure that educators, families, advocates, and community partners have meaningful opportunities to learn about the SPP/APR, understand the data, and provide input that informs the state’s goals and direction for the next six years.
 

Which indicators will Ohio set targets for?

As a part of the FFY2026-2031 SPP/APR cycle, Ohio will establish over 50 targets across Indicators 1 (Graduation), 2 (Dropout), 3 (Statewide Assessment), 5 (School-Age Educational Environments), 6 (Preschool Educational Environments), 7 (Preschool Outcomes), 8 (Parent Involvement), 14 (Post-School Outcomes), 15 (Resolution Sessions), 16 (Mediation), and 17 (State Systemic Improvement Plan).

How can stakeholders participate?

Each indicator will have its own webpage with:

• An explanation of how data are collected,
• A description of how the indicator is measured,
• Materials used to support stakeholder review (Such as, data summaries, descriptions, slides).

Stakeholders will be able to engage through:

• Indicator‑specific virtual meetings
• Online surveys
• Recorded informational webinars

These opportunities allow participants to share insights, ask questions, and provide feedback grounded in their experiences and perspectives.

Visit each indicator webpage below to learn more and take part in the engagement process:

Note: Some indicators are on combined due to their close alignment in focus and data collection.

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Previous Stakeholder Engagement Efforts

2026 Stakeholder Engagement

IDEA Risk Ratio Thresholds for Speech or Language Impairment (SLI) Stakeholder Engagement 
Ohio has updated the risk ratio threshold used to determine Disproportionate Representation (Indicator 10) and Significant Disproportionality in Identification for Speech or Language Impairment (SLI), increasing it from 2.5 to 4.0. From March 2 through April 13, 2026, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce collected public feedback on the proposed threshold changes. The new threshold reflects the input received from stakeholders during this engagement period. 

Risk Ratio 
A risk ratio compares the likelihood of an outcome for one group (e.g., White students) to the likelihood for a comparison group (all other students). A risk ratio of 1.0 equals no difference. 

Risk Ratio Threshold 
A risk ratio threshold is the cutoff a state sets to decide when differences between groups are large enough to be considered meaningful or significant in special education data. If a district’s risk ratio meets or exceeds the threshold, it may trigger identification. 

Resources Provided During Engagement

• Indicator 9 and 10: Disproportionate Representation in Special Education | Fact Book
  • Overview of Indicators 9 and 10 and the methods used to measure disproportionate representation. 
• Significant Disproportionality in Identification | Fact Book
  • Explanation of Significant Disproportionality in Identification and how it is calculated. 
• Significant Disproportionality and Indicator 10 SLI Risk Ratio Threshold | Slides
  • Provides data, methodology, the rationale behind proposed risk ratio threshold options, and an overview of Ohio’s current SLI identification landscape.

2025 Stakeholder Engagement

 

Indicator 14 Stakeholder Engagement

In December 2025, Ohio  updated Indicator 14 targets because the measurement approach changed. From November 6 through December 8, 2025, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce collected public input on proposed targets for Indicator 14: Postschool Outcomes. All districts and community schools must now annually report follow-up data for every exiting student with an IEP, replacing the previous six-year cohort model. With this shift and new baseline data, updated targets ensure compliance with federal reporting requirements and reflect stakeholder input. 

What is Indicator 14? 

Indicator 14 tracks what students with IEPs are doing one year after leaving high school to determine engagement in employment and/or further education or training. It includes three components: 

• 14a: Enrolled in higher education within one year of leaving high school 
• 14b: Enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within one year 
• ​14c: Enrolled in higher education or in some other postsecondary education or training program, or competitively employed or in some other employment within one year 

Stakeholder input favored the following options:

Special Education Profile Year	2025-26	2026-27
Data Year*	2024-25 School Year	2025-26 School Year
14a Target	≥9.80%	≥10.30%
14b Target	≥28.00%	≥28.50%
14c Target	≥49.80%	≥50.30%

Resources Provided During Engagement 

To support meaningful participation, the Department shared these resources during the engagement period: 

• Indicator 14: Postschool Outcomes | Fact Book
  Overview of Indicator 14, how it is measured, and Ohio-specific data on postschool outcomes.
• Postschool Outcomes |  Stakeholder Reference Document
  Proposed target options and context for feedback. 
•  2025-2026 Special Education Profile: Target Setting for Post-school Outcomes | Slides | Video 
  Walk through of data, methodology, rationale, and survey participation.  

Questions can be sent to sped.data@education.ohio.gov. 

Last Modified: 8/4/2026 12:21:02 PM

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