OHI Eligibility

graphic of the thirteen MRSE eligibility categories with this highlighted: other health impairment

Eligibility for Special Education under designation of Other Health Impaired

The Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE) define eligibility for special education services within thirteen categories of disability.

R 340.1702 Student with a disability defined.
Rule 2. “Student with a disability” means a person who is determined by an individualized education program team or a hearing officer to have 1 or more of the impairments specified in this part that necessitates special education or related services, or both, who is not more than 25 years of age as of September 1 of the school year of enrollment, who has not completed a normal course of study, and who has not graduated from high school. A student who reaches the age of 26 years after September 1 is a “student with a disability” and entitled to continue a special education program or service until the end of that school year.

R 340.1709a Other Health Impairment explained; determination.
Rule 9a. (1) “Other health impairment” means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, which results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment and to which both of the following provisions apply:

(a) Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as any of the following:
(i) Asthma.
(ii) Attention deficit disorder.
(iii) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
(iv) Diabetes.
(v) Epilepsy.
(vi) A heart condition.
(vii) Hemophilia.
(viii) Lead poisoning.
(ix) Leukemia.
(x) Nephritis.
(xi) Rheumatic fever.
(xii) Sickle cell anemia.

(b) The impairment adversely affects a student’s educational performance.

(2) A determination of disability shall be based upon a comprehensive evaluation by a multidisciplinary evaluation team, which shall include 1 of the following persons:
(a) An orthopedic surgeon.
(b) An internist.
(c) A neurologist.
(d) A pediatrician.
(e) A family physician or any other approved physician as defined in 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.1101 et seq.