|
REFORMING & REAUTHORIZING IDEA
-- Fact
Sheet: House Republicans Seek Great IDEAs for Improving Special Education
__________________________________________________________________________
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, Congress has taken action to help states and local
communities bear the financial burdens imposed by the special education
mandate.
Since taking charge of the House in 1994, Republicans have
increased IDEA funding by more than 224 percent - an increase
significantly larger than under previous Congresses.
President George W. Bush’s FY2003 budget includes another
increase of $1 billion, along with a charge for Congress to use the funds
to begin the process of fixing the program’s flaws.
A
growing chorus of Republicans and Democrats in Congress say IDEA must be
fixed before dramatic increases in funding can be considered.
America’s special education system has a significant problem
with the over-identification of minority students, and reports have shown
that IDEA, in its current form, leaves too much room for this problem.
The
current program also poses a significant red tape burden on local school
districts, which are clamoring for reform in how IDEA works.
On
July 18, 2001, a total of 99 House Democrats joined 167 House Republicans
in voting to table a motion to instruct House conferees to adopt a
Senate-passed amendment that would virtually double IDEA spending without
addressing the need for reform.
Many fear that unless funding increases are directly linked to
efforts to correct the program’s flaws, any momentum for reform will be
lost.
House
Education Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH) and Education Reform
Subcommittee Chairman Michael Castle (R0DE) have pledged that the
committee will take up IDEA reform and reauthorization as its next major
education reform task following completion of President Bush’s No
Child Left Behind reform bill, signed into law on January 8, 2002.
On
April 18, 2002, the House Committee on Education & the Workforce
Education Reform Subcommittee began an important series of hearings on
improving the nation’s special education system.
Press Statements:
- Statement
by U.S. Reps. John Boehner (R-OH) and Mike Castle (R-DE) on Manhattan
Institute Report on Special Education Funding
- December 11, 2002
- House
GOP Committee Chairs Tout Special Ed Funding & Reform in Iowa
- August 14, 2002
- GOP
Education Leaders Highlight New Report, Call for IDEA Reforms to
Ensure Student Results
- August 13,
2002
- House
Republicans Praise IDEA Commission’s Emphasis on Improving Academic
Results for Children with Special Needs, Reducing Paperwork for
Teachers - July 10, 2002
- House
GOP Education Leaders Praise Special Education Commission for Putting
Results & Reform First - July 9, 2002
- Early
Intervention Will Improve Results for Students with Special Needs,
Experts Tell Subcommittee - June 6, 2002
- House
Education Panel Seeks “Great IDEAs” for Improving America’s
Special Education Law - June 6, 2002
- Education
Subcommittee Hears Testimony on Benefits of Parental Choice in Special
Education - May 8, 2002
- Congress
Should Reduce IDEA Paperwork Burden to Improve Results, Experts Tell
Committee - May 8, 2002
- Education Subcommittee Hears Testimony on Special Education Paperwork Burden and Accountability System -
May 2, 2002
- House
Education Committee Begins Efforts to Strengthen the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) - April 18, 2002
- House
GOP Education Committee Leaders Preview Special Education Reform
Hearing Agenda
- April 18, 2002
- Boehner
Applauds First Meeting of Special Education Commission - January
15, 2002
- Joint
Statement by House-Senate GOP Education Leaders on Special Education
Reform - December 6, 2001
- House
Republican Conferees Vote to Fix and Fully Fund Special Education
- November 30, 2001
- Special
Education System Needs Reform – Not Just More Funding, Witnesses
Tell House Committee - October 4, 2001
- Boehner
Backs Efforts to End Misidentification of Minority Students for
Special Education - April 2,
2001
Fact Sheets:
GOP Strives to Fulfill IDEA Promise:
Reforming and reauthorizing the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a priority for Republicans in
Congress and President Bush. The President’s FY2003 budget supports
students with disabilities by providing $8.5 billion for special
education grants to states, an increase of $1 billion.
The President does NOT propose turning special
education into a new entitlement spending program, which would severely
hamper efforts to reform IDEA and fix the chronic problems within the
IDEA system, such as the misidentification of minority youth for special
education classes.
Following is an updated chart (including the IDEA
increase for FY2003 proposed in the President's budget) that shows the
steady increases in IDEA funding under recent GOP leadership -- an
increase far larger than any seen under Democratic control.
Dear Colleagues:
Education Watch:
(in PDF format)
- April 18,
2002 -- House Republicans Launch Effort to Strengthen Special
Education
- March 22,
2002 -- House Completes Big Week for Special Education
- Friday,
December 7 -- Harkin: Schools and Students Can Wait for
Education Reform
- Tuesday,
November 27 -- Less Than Half of Harkin Funds Earmarked for
Special Education
- Monday,
October 29 -- Growing Chorus Stresses Need for Special Education
Reform
- Thursday, October 4 --
President Bush Creates Commission to Study IDEA Reforms
- Monday, August 27 --
Paige Stresses IDEA Reforms at Learning Disabilities Event
- Friday, August 3 --
Senior House Democrat Opposes Senate IDEA Funding Measure
- Thursday, July 26 --
President's Early Reading Initiatives Pave Way for IDEA Reform
- Wednesday, July 25 --
IDEA Must be Fully Funded, But First it Must be Fixed
Committee Action:
|
