The Issues of IDEA

This month in the American School Board Journal...

From funding to teaching to litigation, a look at what prevents the landmark special education law from meeting its core principles.

In its 31-year history, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has pushed the complicated realm of special education into the mainstream of K-12 education. The benefits have been tremendous: Countless students with disabilities have reached a potential that even their greatest advocates did not think was possible.
But as with any law, there were unforeseen consequences and pitfalls, and the emotional aspect of special education has no doubt affected the way these have played out.
Here, we take a brief look at some of the pervasive issues that, despite the law’s multiple reauthorizations, threaten the full implementation of IDEA and its core principles.

Click HERE for the complete article.