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Special education in Missouri

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

Special education in Missouri

Special education is called
Special Education
The IEP meeting
IEP team meeting
Eligibility team
Evaluation team
Evaluation timeline
60 calendar days. From consent to eligibility (State Plan Reg. III; 5 CSR 20-300.110)
IEP timeline
30 days (federal)
Transition planning starts
16 (being checked)
Rights transfer to the student at
18
Developmental delay category
3 to 5 (Young Child with a Developmental Delay, State Plan Reg. I, verified; child count shows some at age 6)
Dyslexia law
yes: RSMo 167.950: K-3 dyslexia screening
State categories
Young Child with a Developmental Delay (YCDD)

Find your district and schools

565 districts and charter districts. 66 special education schools and 81 public charter schools.

Get your Hall PassSchools in MissouriServices for children in Missouri (on Disability Atlas)

The state office and your options when you disagree

State special education office
Procedural safeguards (your rights notice)
Mediation
State complaint
Due process

Free help for families

Parent centers

Disability rights agency

Advocacy groups in Missouri

Paying for it

Medicaid for children
MO HealthNet for Kids
CHIP
MO HealthNet for Kids (CHIP)
Apply
Medicaid for children with disabilities, whatever the family's income
yes (KFF 2026: state plan option or comparable waiver); program not named in sources checked
Schools bill Medicaid for health services
yes (limited services for all Medicaid-enrolled students)
Autism insurance law
yes. group plans; through 18; ABA $40,000 per year (may be exceeded with approval)
Scholarship or ESA for students with disabilities
general-limited: MOScholars tax-credit ESA (income-limited; IEP students get priority and larger awards)
Program page

How school, Medicaid and insurance fit together

How Missouri 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 20 of 51

State of Support

C+

Rank 27 of 51

Combined

C+

Rank 22 of 51

PillarGrade
Following the lawA-
Learning togetherF
ResultsB-
School fundingC
Family protectionsC
Options and transitionD-

IDEA determination 2026: Meets. How we grade.

Sources for this page are listed in the K12 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.