Education: Early Intervention on Children with Learning Disabilities

The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) applauds action taken by Congress in November to complete the much-awaited reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 03/12/2004

 
If learning is a problem, special
support is needed; © Hemera

The compromise bill (H.R. 1350), passed on Friday, November 19, will continue to provide a free, appropriate, public education for students in special education. One of the most important aspects of the new bill is language that promotes early intervention for students who are struggling in school and ensures that students with learning disabilities are identified sooner and more accurately. Previously, students had to wait until about third grade and receive IQ testing before being eligible for support and services - thus creating a wait-to-fail model in our schools.

"NCLD fought hard to ensure that this bill would change the outdated wait-to-fail model," says NCLD Executive Director James H. Wendorf. "Now, as soon as children are struggling in school, in fact, as early as kindergarten, they can begin to receive services that can help them succeed in school before they fail."

Other major provisions within the compromise bill are:

• Special education teachers must meet the highly qualified standards set by NCLB


• Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) must contain measurable annual goals and a description of how the child's progress will be measured and reported


• Changes to IEPs can be made without convening the IEP team if both the school district and parent agree


• Schools may not find a child to be a child with a disability solely based on the school's inability to meet the requirements for early reading instruction under NCLB


• Schools must continue to take into account how a child's disability affects behavior when making decisions about the placement of the child; however, school personnel can make decisions regarding a change in placement on a case-by-case basis when the student violates a code of student conduct


• There is no provision requiring mandatory full funding of IDEA by Congress.