First Steps Early Intervention Program under Part C of Federal IDEA; State Department of Education meet state compliance under.

SB 2823 designates Mississippi's State Board of Education as the lead agency responsible for the state's Early Intervention (EI) Program under federal IDEA Part C, which serves infants and toddlers (birth through age two) with disabilities. The bill requires the State Board to meet federal compliance standards for reporting on these services - addressing Mississippi's current non-compliance status - and improve access to early intervention. It directs the State Board to develop legislative recommendations based on a 2024 task force report (created by SB 2727) and submit a report to the 2027 legislature. The goal is to establish a new service delivery model for the First Steps program, focusing on concrete policy changes rather than outcomes.