IDEA Essay

IDEA Essay

Parker Christeson

Dakota State University

 IDEA Essay

Abstract

In 1990, Congress changed the Education of Handicapped Children’s Act (EHA) to the

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This has changed and impacted the way we

educate children with disabilities for the better. The American Education system was changed

and now allows children with disabilities equal access to a free public education. The has had a

positive impact on many and continues to do so.

 IDEA Essay

In 1975, the entire world of education changed as we know it. Before then, children with

special needs were not required, and most of the time, not welcomed in public schools. In this

paper I will I will explain my research behind the Individuals with Disabilities Education

Improvement Act (IDEA), and how it has grown and changed and been rewritten over time,

along with the six main principles of the act.

IDEA is a law ensuring that certain services are provided to those with special needs.

These services include, early intervention, special education and other related services. Children

from birth to the age of two receive mainly early intervention services, while those ages three to

twenty-one are those that will receive mainly special education services.

To fully explain the history of IDEA, research would have to be taken back to 1975,

when the Education for All Handicapped Children’s Act (EAHCA) was enacted which, along

with some key Supreme Court cases, mandated all school districts to educate students with

disabilities. Then in 1986 the law was rewritten for the first time, and the Handicapped

Children’s Protection Act is added to the law. This amendment made it clear that students and

parents have rights under EAHCA and Section 504. The law was rewritten again in 1990 and is

now called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This amendment calls for

many changes to the old law. One of the leading changes was the addition of transition services

for students with disabilities. School Districts were required to look at outcomes and assisting

students with disabilities in transitioning from high school to life after high school. In 1997,

IDEA was again reauthorized and called for students with disabilities to be included on state and

district-wide assessments. Regular Education Teachers were then required to be a member of the

IEP team. Finally, in 2004, Idea was reauthorized for the last time to date. There were several

changes from the 1997 reauthorization. The biggest change called for more liability at the state
 IDEA Essay

and local levels, with more outcome data required. Another noteworthy change involved schools

providing adequate instruction and intervention for students to help keep them out of special

education and in the regular classroom.

A law as groundbreaking and, at the time, controversial as this would obviously need to

have worthy guidelines to stay afloat as long as it has. There are six principles to IDEA. The first

principle of IDEA is every student’s right to a free and appropriate education (FAPE). Obviously

an education at a public school is free to anybody who wants to attend, so students with

disabilities should receive this same right. An appropriate education is the curious part of this

first guideline. Appropriate does not always mean best, so if there’s a student with a disability

who goes to school in Nebraska, and the best school for dealing with the particular disability is in

Florida, the school does not have to pay for the student to go to school in Florida. This benefits

both the parents and the student because it ensures the most appropriate possible education

situation for the student, and if the standards aren’t met, the school is required to make a change

to ensure the standards will be met.

The second principle of IDEA requires schools to conduct “appropriate evaluations” of

students who are suspected of having a disability. This does not mean one bad test, or one bad

behavior can qualify a students for special education. There has to be documented data and a

multifactorial assessment of the student to make sure special education is actually the answer.

For the assessment to be appropriate it must be applied by a team of knowledgeable and trained

evaluators, it must use thorough evaluation materials and procedures, and must be directed on a

non-discriminatory basis. Finally, an appropriate evaluation must determine and make

recommendations concerning a child’s eligibility for special education services in a timely

 IDEA Essay

manner. This benefits the student by making sure the student has all the resources necessary for

that student to succeed in and out of school.

The third principle of IDEA is every student’s right to an IEP, or an Individualized

Education Plan, which would be implemented by a team of teachers, the IEP team, and the

special education teacher. An IEP keeps information well organized such as, what the student’s

disability may be, what the student struggles with, and goals for the student. Students benefit

from this in countless ways. First of all if, for any reason, somebody needs to know what the

student’s needs are, say the students switches schools, all the documentation is right there in the

student’s file. If a teacher wants to know what area a student struggles in, everything is

documented and easy to find. Most important of all however, is the students goals listed in the

IEP. In any venture in life, it’s important to have goals. If a student has no goals, there is no

motivation for them or the teacher to learn. Completing goals means progress, and progress is the

best thing for the student.

Under IDEA, a student is guaranteed to be placed in the Least Restrictive Environment

(LRE) possible. IDEA places a strong emphasis on placement in a general education setting.

Meaning the most desirable situation would be to keep students in the classroom with their peers.

Therefore, an IEP team must explore a number of alternatives for enabling a student to

participate in the general education classroom. These alternatives could include, classroom

modifications, supplemental aids and services, alternative instructional methods, etc. However

this won’t always be the best option for the student. Sometimes a student’s needs extend beyond

the general education classroom. Some students may need to spend time in the special education

room, whether it’s an hour a day, or full time, as long as it’s determined to be what’s best for the

student. Obvious benefits for the student are that they can be in an environment best suited to
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help them succeed. If there are distractions in a classroom that a student doesn’t know how to

deal with, they will not be able to learn. A teacher may have to make sacrifices and go out of her

way to help the student be comfortable, but that’s what teaching is about anyway, the student.

The fifth principle is about the parents. Under this principle, state educational agencies

and local school boards must guarantee that the parents of a child with a disability are members

of any group that makes decisions concerning the placement and LRE of that child. IDEA

encourages parent participation in IEP meetings, and explicitly establishes a role for the parents

as equal participants and decision makers. Parents have the right to equal input in this process,

and are entitled to be notified of a planned evaluation. An evaluation cannot happen without the

parents, and should be rescheduled until the parents of the student can’t make it. If the parents

keep delaying and dragging their feet, the meeting might have to go on without them, however

that is very undesirable. Parents also have a right to access to planning and evaluation materials,

and involvement in all meetings about their child’s placement. This benefits the student by

making sure the parents stay involved in their education, which is good for everyone involved.

The last principle of IDEA helps protect and enforce students and parents rights under

federal law. This principle gives parents rights to review all educational records pertaining to

their child. The primary purpose of this is twofold: safeguards protect parental access to

information pertaining to placement and transition planning; and procedures are put in place to

resolve disagreements between parents and schools regarding the placement of a student. If

disagreements come up, parents have the right to request mediation or due process hearings with

state-level education agencies, and beyond that may appeal the decision in state or federal court.

This helps so that small matters can be solved early, instead of developing into huge lawsuits or
 IDEA Essay

court cases. The students and parents can also benefit if everything gets resolved and the focus

can be put back on education instead of disagreements.

Special education has been around for quite a few years now, and has pretty firmly

planted its roots in what it believes in and what the law is all about. However, in this ever-

changing world, they are still growing and changing and will continue to do so. No two students

are the same so therefore, not everything can possibly be covered by IDEA, yet. Changes will be

made and there will be many different ideas for improvements will be suggested, and whats best

for the student will always be done.