---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 1481"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "1481"
heading: "Comprehensive plan for parts B and C"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/1481"
units:
  - "Chapter 33 — Education of Individuals with Disabilities"
  - "Subchapter IV — National Activities to Improve Education of Children with Disabilities"
  - "Part D — General Provisions"
---

# §1481. Comprehensive plan for parts B and C

- (a) **Comprehensive plan—**
  - (1) **In general—** After receiving input from interested individuals with relevant expertise, the [Secretary](/usc/20/1401.md?p=28) shall develop and implement a comprehensive plan for activities carried out under parts B and C in order to enhance the provision of early intervention services, educational services, [related services](/usc/20/1401.md?p=26-A), and transitional services to children with disabilities under subchapters II and III. To the extent practicable, the plan shall be coordinated with the plan developed pursuant to [section 9567b(c) of this title](/usc/20/9567b.md?p=c)[^1] and shall include mechanisms to address early intervention, educational, related service and transitional needs identified by [State educational agencies](/usc/20/1401.md?p=32) in applications submitted for [State](/usc/20/1401.md?p=31) [personnel](/usc/20/1451.md?p=b) development grants under part A and for grants under parts B and C.
  - (2) **Public comment—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1401.md?p=28) shall provide a public comment period of not less than 45 days on the plan.
  - (3) **Distribution of funds—** In implementing the plan, the [Secretary](/usc/20/1401.md?p=28) shall, to the extent appropriate, ensure that funds awarded under parts B and C are used to carry out activities that benefit, directly or indirectly, children with the full range of disabilities and of all ages.
  - (4) **Reports to Congress—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1401.md?p=28) shall annually report to Congress on the [Secretary](/usc/20/1401.md?p=28)’s activities under parts B and C, including an initial report not later than 12 months after December 3, 2004.
- (b) **Assistance authorized—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1401.md?p=28) is authorized to award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, [eligible entities](/usc/20/1461.md?p=b-1) to enable the [eligible entities](/usc/20/1461.md?p=b-1) to carry out the purposes of such parts in accordance with the comprehensive plan described in [subsection (a)](#a).
- (c) **Special populations—**
  - (1) **Application requirement—** In making an award of a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under part B or C, the [Secretary](/usc/20/1401.md?p=28) shall, as appropriate, require an [eligible entity](/usc/20/1461.md?p=b-1) to demonstrate how the [eligible entity](/usc/20/1461.md?p=b-1) will address the needs of children with disabilities from minority backgrounds.
  - (2) **Required outreach and technical assistance—** Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the [Secretary](/usc/20/1401.md?p=28) shall reserve not less than 2 percent of the total amount of funds appropriated to carry out parts B and C for either or both of the following activities:
    - (A) Providing outreach and technical assistance to historically Black colleges and universities, and to institutions of higher education with minority enrollments of not less than 25 percent, to promote the participation of such colleges, universities, and institutions in activities under this part.
    - (B) Enabling historically Black colleges and universities, and the institutions described in [subparagraph (A)](#c-2-A), to assist other colleges, universities, institutions, and agencies in improving educational and transitional results for children with disabilities, if the historically Black colleges and universities and the institutions of higher education described in [subparagraph (A)](#c-2-A) meet the criteria established by the [Secretary](/usc/20/1401.md?p=28) under this part.
- (d) **Priorities—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1401.md?p=28), in making an award of a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under part B or C, may, without regard to the rulemaking procedures under [section 553 of title 5](/usc/5/553.md), limit competitions to, or otherwise give priority to—
  - (1) projects that address 1 or more—
    - (A) age ranges;
    - (B) disabilities;
    - (C) school grades;
    - (D) types of educational placements or early intervention environments;
    - (E) types of services;
    - (F) content areas, such as reading; or
    - (G) effective strategies for helping children with disabilities learn appropriate behavior in the school and other community based educational settings;
  - (2) projects that address the needs of children based on the severity or incidence of their disability;
  - (3) projects that address the needs of—
    - (A) low achieving students;
    - (B) underserved populations;
    - (C) children from low income families;
    - (D) [limited English proficient](/usc/20/1401.md?p=18) children;
    - (E) unserved and underserved areas;
    - (F) rural or urban areas;
    - (G) children whose behavior interferes with their learning and socialization;
    - (H) children with reading difficulties;
    - (I) children in public charter schools;
    - (J) children who are gifted and talented; or
    - (K) children with disabilities served by [local educational agencies](/usc/20/1401.md?p=19-A) that receive payments under title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [[20 U.S.C. 7701](/usc/20/7701.md) et seq.];
  - (4) projects to reduce inappropriate identification of children as children with disabilities, particularly among minority children;
  - (5) projects that are carried out in particular areas of the country, to ensure broad geographic coverage;
  - (6) projects that promote the development and use of technologies with [universal design](/usc/20/1401.md?p=35), [assistive technology devices](/usc/20/1401.md?p=1-A), and [assistive technology services](/usc/20/1401.md?p=2) to maximize children with disabilities’ access to and participation in the general education curriculum; and
  - (7) any activity that is authorized in part B or C.
- (e) **Eligibility for financial assistance—** No [State](/usc/20/1401.md?p=31) or [local educational agency](/usc/20/1401.md?p=19-A), or other public institution or agency, may receive a grant or enter into a contract or cooperative agreement under part B or C that relates exclusively to programs, projects, and activities pertaining to children aged 3 through 5, inclusive, unless the [State](/usc/20/1401.md?p=31) is eligible to receive a grant under [section 1419(b) of this title](/usc/20/1419.md?p=b).

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, § 681, as added Pub. L. 108–446, title I, § 101, Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2795; amended Pub. L. 114–95, title IX, § 9215(ss)(11), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2183.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 9567b(c) of this title, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), was in the original “section 178(c) of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002”, meaning section 178(c) of Pub. L. 107–279, which was translated as reading section 177(c) of Pub. L. 107–279, to reflect the probable intent of Congress, because Pub. L. 107–279 does not contain a section 178 and section 177(c) of that Act requires development of a plan.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (d)(3)(K), is Pub. L. 89–10, Apr. 11, 1965, 79 Stat. 27. Title VII of the Act is classified generally to subchapter VII (§ 7701 et seq.) of chapter 70 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 6301 of this title and Tables.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 1481, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, § 681, as added Pub. L. 105–17, title I, § 101, June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 146, related to congressional findings and purposes for subpart 2 of part B of former subchapter IV of this chapter, prior to the general amendment of subchapters I to IV of this chapter by Pub. L. 108–446.

Another prior section 1481, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, § 681, as added Pub. L. 99–457, title I, § 101(a), Oct. 8, 1986, 100 Stat. 1152; amended Pub. L. 100–630, title I, § 108(j), Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3302; Pub. L. 101–476, title IX, § 901(b)(181), Oct. 30, 1990, 104 Stat. 1150; Pub. L. 102–119, § 25(b), Oct. 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 607, related to nonsubstitution of funds to pay for services which would have been paid for from another source and construction of such provisions so as not to reduce other benefits, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–17, title II, § 203(b), June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 157, effective July 1, 1998.

### Amendments

2015—Subsec. (d)(3)(K). Pub. L. 114–95 substituted “payments under title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965;” for “payments under title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965;”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2015 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of this title.