Reauthorization of IDEA

IDEA: Improving Education Results for Children with Disabilities Act

On March 19, 2003, the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the U.S. House of Representatives published a proposed bill to reauthorize IDEA.  The "Improving Education Results for Children with Disabilities Act" proposes to improve educational results for children with disabilities by making significant changes to the IDEA.  Proposed changes include:

Increase accountability and improved results; align IDEA with No Child Left Behind (NCLB) to reduce paperwork burden

Allow 3 year IEPs if parent and district agree

Eliminate benchmarks and short-term objectives from IEPs

Allow IEP to be amended without convening entire IEP team if parent and district agree

Improve early intervention

Reduce over-identification/misidentification of non-disabled children, including minority youth

Eliminate "IQ-discrepancy" model that relies on a "wait to fail" approach for identification of specific learning disabilities

Introduce a "response to intervention" model that identifies students with specific learning disabilities before child fails

Encourage use of positive behavioral interventions and supports

Increase professional development and training of general education and special education teachers

Restore trust and reduce litigation (mediation allowed at any time; binding arbitration)

Pre-referral interventions to children not yet IDEA eligible to address reading and behavior

Allow districts to have one discipline policy for all children

Click here to view the entire proposal