IDEA
Congress has reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The IDEA reauthorization, which took place on Nov. 19, 2004 by vote of the 108th Congress, marked the culmination of bipartisan work on the nation's landmark special education law. The law had not been reauthorized since 1997.
CTA members took a leadership role with their colleagues across the country in working through NEA to address many pressing issues. In a process that took nearly three years, they accomplished a number of goals, including:
- Significantly increasing support for professional development
- Launching the reduction of burdensome paperwork
- Providing new flexibility in meeting the "highly qualified teacher" requirements legislated in the ESEA/"No Child Left Behind Act"
- Protecting educators' rights to participate in individual education plan (IEP) meetings
- Simplifying and better balancing discipline procedures while continuing to protect fundamental civil rights of students with disabilities
- Enhancing educators' ability to provide early intervention for struggling students
- Providing fair ways to reduce litigation between parents and schools
CTA members -- we want to hear from you!
As a special education teacher, do you experience isolation from other staff at your school? What other issues do you encounter? Use our special dialogue box to share your story. Tell us your Special Ed story.
The results: Special Education Stories from the Front Line
For additional information check:
IDEA Briefs
California Educator