Physically Impaired
                                                                   PI Criteria Checklist

A. Definition of Physically Impaired

Orthopedic impairment means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child’s
educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly,
impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from
other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).
34 C.F.R. § 300.8(c)(8).

“Physically impaired” means a medically diagnosed chronic, physical impairment, either
congenital or acquired, that may adversely affect physical or academic functioning and result in
the need for special education and related services.
Minn. R. 3525.1337, subp. 1.

B. Criteria for Physically Impaired

A pupil is eligible and in need of special education instruction and services if the pupil meets the
criterion in item A and one of the criteria in item B.

A. There is documentation of a medically diagnosed physical impairment.
B. The pupil’s:
(1) need for special education instruction and service is supported by a functional level
of organizational or independent work skills as verified by a minimum of two or
more documented, systematic observations in daily routine settings, one of which is
completed by a special education teacher; or
(2) need for special education instruction and service is supported by an inability to
manage or complete motoric portions of classroom tasks within time constraints as
verified by a minimum of two or more documented, systematic observations in daily
routine settings, one of which is completed by a physical and health disabilities
teacher; or
(3) physical impairment interferes with educational performance as shown by an
achievement deficit of 1.0 standard deviations or more below the mean on an
individually administered nationally normed standardized evaluation of the pupil’s
academic achievement.
Minn. R. 3525.1337, subp. 2.