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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
The reauthorization of IDEA will revise personnel standards to direct States to adopt policies that require Local Education Agencies to take measurable steps to recruit, hire, and retain highly qualified personnel and require all special education teachers in an elementary, middle or secondary school to be highly qualified no later than the end of the 2005-2006 school year. The reauthorization also limits awarding attorneys' fees where the parent or parent's attorney unreasonably protracts the final resolution of a controversy.
I believe that it is important that children with disabilities have access to an education and that infants with disabilities have access to early intervention services. Congress cannot overestimate the importance of establishing the appropriate teaching and learning environment where students with disabilities, as well as those without disabilities, will be provided a quality education. This reauthorization ensures that these services will continue to be provided.
Congress is currently reviewing proposed amendments to the reauthorization of IDEA
Congressional Research Service Issues Briefs
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is part of the legislative branch of the federal government. CRS, which is a department of the Library of Congress, works exclusively as a nonpartisan analytical, research, and reference arm for Congress.
The following files are in PDF format. In order to view these files, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your PC. You can download the free Reader from the following website: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html
For more information on this issue, please view the following CRS report:
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Current Funding Trends.
More information on Senator Shelby's activities regarding education:
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