20 USC § 1461 - Purpose; definition of eligible entity

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t20/s1461"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "20 USC § 1461 - Purpose; definition of eligible entity"
title_number: 20
title_name: "EDUCATION"
section_number: "1461"
section_name: "Purpose; definition of eligible entity"
chapter_number: 33
chapter_name: "EDUCATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES"
subchapter_number: "IV"
subchapter_name: "NATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES"
part_number: "B"
part_name: "Personnel Preparation, Technical Assistance, Model Demonstration Projects, and Dissemination of Information"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, § 661, as added Pub. L. 108–446, title I, § 101, Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2774.)"
---


# § 1461. Purpose; definition of eligible entity

**(a)** **Purpose** The purpose of this part is—

**(1)** to provide Federal funding for personnel preparation, technical assistance, model demonstration projects, information dissemination, and studies and evaluations, in order to improve early intervention, educational, and transitional results for children with disabilities; and

**(2)** to assist State educational agencies and local educational agencies in improving their education systems for children with disabilities.

**(b)** **Definition of eligible entity**

**(1)** **In general** In this part, the term “eligible entity” means—

**(A)** a State educational agency;

**(B)** a local educational agency;

**(C)** a public charter school that is a local educational agency under State law;

**(D)** an institution of higher education;

**(E)** a public agency not described in subparagraphs (A) through (D);

**(F)** a private nonprofit organization;

**(G)** an outlying area;

**(H)** an Indian tribe or a tribal organization (as defined under section 5304 of title 25); or

**(I)** a for-profit organization, if the Secretary finds it appropriate in light of the purposes of a particular competition for a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this part.

**(2)** **Special rule** The Secretary may limit which eligible entities described in paragraph (1) are eligible for a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this part to 1 or more of the categories of eligible entities described in paragraph (1).

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, § 661, as added Pub. L. 108–446, title I, § 101, Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2774.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 1461, , as added , , , related to administrative provisions, prior to the general amendment of subchapters I to IV of this chapter by .

Another prior section 1461, , as added , , ; amended , , ; , title IX, § 901(b)(154)–(156), , , 1149; , (b), , , 607, related to financial assistance for the purpose of advancing use of new technology, media, and materials in education of students with disabilities and provision of related services and early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities, prior to repeal by , , , effective .

Another prior section 1461, , , ; , , ; , , , related to research, training, and model centers respecting special programs for children with specific learning disabilities, providing in subsec. (a), Secretary’s grant and contract authority, functions of model centers, and considerations governing making of contracts and grants; subsec. (b), other considerations in making awards, geographical distribution of training programs and trained personnel, and a model center in each State; and subsec. (c), appropriations authorization of $10, $20, and $20 million dollars for fiscal years ending  through 1977, respectively, prior to repeal by , , .