Special Education Bill Provides Support for Teachers, Students
Congress approved a bill Friday (November 19, 2004) that focuses on
improved learning for students with disabilities and support for special
education teachers.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004
is a reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA), which provides access to a free, quality public education
to children with disabilities.
The bill calls for additional professional development and preparation
time for special education teachers, and a significant reduction in
the amount of paperwork those teachers are required to complete. It
also seeks to improve the partnership between parents, educators and
schools, and focuses on recruitment and retention of special education
teachers.
"This bill provides much-needed support for students with disabilities
and special education teachers," WEAC President Stan Johnson said.
"But Wisconsin school districts whose budgets are stretched by
special education costs need help. We call on Congress to live up to
its commitment to provide full funding for IDEA."
Under IDEA, the federal government promises to pay for 40% of special
education costs. The bill provides a six-year timetable and a formula
for achieving full funding of the federal share of special education,
but there is no guarantee the funds will be appropriated. Since the
IDEA law's passage in 1975, it has never been fully funded.
The bill also offers a little flexibility for special education teachers
in meeting the "highly qualified" standards of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act, sometimes referred to as the "No Child
Left Behind" law. ESEA requires additional hurdles for both new
and veteran special education teachers even though teachers who earn
state certification in special education have already demonstrated that
they are highly trained in how children learn and their subject areas.
For more information on the ESEA's "highly qualified" standards
for special education teachers, visit the NEA
Web site.
Before the bill becomes law, it must be signed by President Bush.
OnWEAC Resource Page on Special
Education
Posted November 22, 2004