Reauthorization of the Individual With Disabilities Education Act
In 1975, the federal government opened the doors of learning to millions of
children by approving landmark legislation, the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), mandating that children with special education needs have
access to the same public school education that every other young American
enjoys.
In recent years, Upton and the Congress have taken action to help states and
local communities bear the financial burdens imposed by the special education
mandate.
Upton is pleased to report that since 1997, the Congress has more than
doubled special education funding. Additionally, the President's budget
increases funding by $1 billion for FY03. The Congress stands ready to move
closer to fulfilling our commitment.
Many members of Congress believe that the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), the federal law that mandates a free and appropriate
public education to disabled students, must be fixed before dramatic increases
in funding can be considered.
Department of Education Secretary Rod Paige has highlighted chronic problems
in the current IDEA system that have caused countless children to be wrongly
placed in special education classes, a problem that particularly affects
minority children.
Putting children into special education simply because they can't read not
only prevents them from reaching their full potential, it also robs children who
have real learning and physical disabilities of the federal dollars intended for
them.
Upton believes that both of these objectives can be met this year, as long as
we take this once in a lifetime opportunity to address the serious problems with
how the current system delivers special education services to Michigan's
students.
In order to be successful, though, Upton needs your help in identifying ways
that the law can be and needs to be reformed. This work is slated to begin in
late spring. Please share your experiences of when the system has worked or
failed, as well as your thoughts on how the system needs to be reformed.
If you have any comments or suggestions, please contact Congressman Upton.
