Summary of IDEA Reauthorization, December 2004

Background on IDEA and how it helps children with epilepsy IDEA is the federal law that promises a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment to more than over 6.7 million children with special needs. IDEA supports early intervention and preschool services to young children with disabilities, as well as special services such as occupational or speech therapy, and assistive technology. It also supports essential research and professional development programs.

To qualify for protection under IDEA, a child must have a disability that adversely affects his or her ability to learn. Disabilities may include health impairments such as epilepsy, as well as traumatic brain injuries, learning disabilities, mental retardation and autism. For a child with epilepsy, commonly requested services include: health services (such as administration of medication in the event of a status seizure), specialized recreation services (for a child with uncontrolled seizures), counseling (to compensate for the social adjustment aspects of epilepsy) and other non-instructional services. Specialized instruction may also be necessary to compensate for accompanying learning disabilities or other cognitive impairments resulting from frequent losses of consciousness or other impairment of attention or learning ability.

The New IDEA IDEA was last authorized in 1997, and it was up for reauthorization this year. The House of Representatives passed its bill in April of 2003, while the Senate passed its version in May of 2004. In early fall, both sides appointed its conferees to the conference committee and began negotiations in October 2004 on a compromise bill. On November, 19, 2004, after nearly two years of debate, Congress passed H.R. 1350, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. The House passed IDEA 397 to 3, and the Senate approved it by voice vote. President Bush signed IDEA into law on December 3, 2004. Most provisions will go into effect in July 2005.

The bill encourages mediation in disputes between parents and schools, and it allows states and districts to recover attorneys’ fees if a parent’s complaint is deemed frivolous. The new law will also require schools to assess if a student’s negative behaviors are the direct result of their disability before having the authority to expel or discipline the child. In addition, IDEA brings the requirements of No Child Left Behind Act by establishing greater qualifications and subsequent training for special educators.

Funding: Congress will cover as much as 40% of the additional cost of educating children with special needs. It now pays less than 19%, and states and school districts must make up the difference with their own funds. The FY 05 appropriations bill includes a $607 million increase for Part B (which is $415 million below the President’s request.) All of other IDEA programs were level funded with the exception of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination program under Part D which received a $1 million dollar decrease. The Part D research and innovation program received a $5.6 million increase, and is now housed within the Department’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES). (Although IDEA is still not fully-funded, this is a step in the right direction.) Breakdown of Key Sections of Bill Discipline (Sec. 615) Child’s negative behavior must be determined to have been ‘caused by’; or “had a direct and substantial relationship” to the child’s disability; or was a “direct result” of the school’s failure to implement the IEP.” If “serious bodily injury” has occurred, and it cannot be proven to be a result of the above reasons the school will now have the right to remove a student to an alternative educational setting. (This provision is not as protective as current law, but this language is better than language the proposed House bill originally contained. Schools will have to consider a child’s disability before disciplinary action is taken.)

Functional Behavioral Assessment (Sec 615) All students who are removed from the school setting for behavior will receive, as appropriate, a functional behavioral assessment, behavioral intervention services and modifications that are designed to address the behavior violation so that it does not recur.

Attorney’s Fees (Sec. 615) It will now be possible for a school district to collect attorney fees (if the school is the prevailing party) from the parent if the court believes that the “parent’s complaint or subsequent cause of action was presented for any improper purpose, such as to harass, to cause unnecessary delay, or to needlessly increase the cost of litigation.” (This is another area of the new IDEA that the wording is up to interpretation.)

Mediation (Sec. 615) Mediation may be used at any time for any matter, even when a due process complaint has not been filed first. Mediation agreements are legally binding and enforceable in state or federal court. (This provision is positive, because current law requires a complaint to be filed first, and now mediation may be used without this step having occurred.)

Paperwork Reduction (Sec. 609) 15 states will be a part of a pilot program that will reduce IEP paperwork to allow for teachers to have more instructional time. (This provision may be a good one, if school’s can find positive ways to cut paperwork, ie: creating an electronic version of the student’s IEP that can be updated, instead of 50 pages of handwritten documents.)

Three-year IEP (Sec. 614) The 3 year IEP is also pilot program of 15 states. At the individual student level, consent of the parent is required before the school may skip the annual IEP. (This provision is of concern because some parents may not be properly notified, or language barriers might be an obstacle in understanding that they can still request an annual IEP vs. the 3-year IEP for their child.)

Links: www.thomas.loc.gov/ (To look up H.R. 1350) www.cec.sped.org (Council for Exceptional Children website, contains section by section breakdown of bill) www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/12/20041203-6.html ( President Bush’s statement on IDEA)