281—120.38(34CFR303) Other definitions used in this chapter. The following terms apply to this chapter:
	120.38(1) Area education agency. “Area education agency” or “AEA” is a political subdivision of the state organized pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 273.
	120.38(2) Board. “Board” means the Iowa state board of education.
	120.38(3) Community partners. “Community partners” means local providers of signatory agencies, as well as other public or private community programs or agencies, including Early Head Start, child care providers, early childhood Iowa areas, and health programs, that work with Early ACCESS, as described in rule 281—120.803(34CFR303).
	120.38(4) Department. “Department” means the Iowa department of education.
	120.38(5) Director of education. “Director of education” means the director of the Iowa department of education.
	120.38(6) Early childhood Iowa area. “Early childhood Iowa area” means a partnership in a local community with broad representation to lead collaborative efforts involving education, health, and human services programs and services on behalf of children, families and other citizens residing in the local community’s geographic area. An early childhood Iowa area mobilizes individuals and their communities to achieve desired results in order to improve the well-being and quality of life for families with young children from birth through the age of five years.
	120.38(7) Early childhood special education. “Early childhood special education” or “ECSE” means special education and related services under Part B of the Act for those individuals with disabilities younger than the age of six.
	120.38(8) Eligible child. “Eligible child” is a synonym for “infant or toddler with a disability,” as defined in rule 281—120.21(34CFR303).
	120.38(9) Family. “Family” means the persons who are primarily responsible for the care and nurturing in a child’s daily life, including biological or adoptive parents, grandparents, guardians, persons acting as parents, siblings, stepparents, or unmarried partners of parents.
	120.38(10) GEPA. “GEPA” is an acronym for the General Education Provisions Act.
	120.38(11) Grantee. “Grantee” means a recipient of funds under Part C of the Act or state funds designated for Early ACCESS that has the fiscal and legal obligation to ensure that the Early ACCESS system is implemented regionally. The term “grantee” shall not be construed in a manner that conflicts with the Act.
	120.38(12) Individualized family service plan team. “Individualized family service plan team” or “IFSP team” includes the members described in subrule 120.343(1).
	120.38(13) Informed clinical opinion. “Informed clinical opinion” means the integration of the results of evaluations, direct observations in various settings, and varied activities with the experience, knowledge, and skills of qualified personnel.
	120.38(14) School year. “School year” means the period during which students who are 3 years of age through 21 years of age attend school.
	120.38(15) Signatory agency. “Signatory agency” means the department of education, the department of health and human services, and the child health specialty clinics.
	120.38(16) Signature. “Signature” has the meaning given the term in Iowa Code section 4.1(39).
[ARC 7805C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]