House Republicans Praise IDEA Commission’s Emphasis on Improving Academic Results for Children with Special Needs, Reducing Paperwork for Teachers

      WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Republican education committee members today offered praise for many recommendations in the final report of President Bush’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education, welcoming its emphasis on reducing the paperwork burden for teachers, improving academic results for children with special needs, and maximizing options for parents with such children. Former Governor Terry Branstad, the chairman of the commission, discussed the report’s recommendations today during testimony before the committee.

     “I applaud the Commission’s emphasis on reducing the paperwork burden for teachers, improving academic results for children with special needs, and maximizing options for parents with such children,” Education & the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH) said. “This expert panel has soundly rejected the notion of turning special education into a new federal entitlement spending program, which would directly impede our efforts to reform the current system to address the growing concerns of teachers, parents, and children with special needs.”

     “Despite IDEA's many successes, too many children with disabilities drop out of high school. And too many lag behind their nondisabled peers," Education Reform Subcommittee Chairman Mike Castle (R-DE) stated. "The Commission offers some solid recommendations for reforming IDEA, including steps to identify and intervene early with young children who need special assistance; reducing the paperwork burden faced by teachers to allow for more time in the classroom; and helping states meet their financial obligation to the education of children with disabilities. I look forward to further examining these recommendations and the recommendations from all our hearings as we work to improve education for children with disabilities."

     While pleased with the commission’s emphasis on reform and opposition to creating a new entitlement spending program, Republicans are skeptical about a recommendation that questions the federal government’s obligation to provide full funding for IDEA.

     “The federal government has never paid its fair share of the cost of special education, and we need to continue to work toward full-funding as we pursue and implement the needed reforms,” Boehner said. “Republicans believe the special education law is an underfunded federal mandate, and we believe the federal government needs to do more to help states and local communities cover the costs of implementing it. That’s why IDEA has been much more generously funded under Republican Congresses than it was under the Democrats, and that’s why the budget House Republicans passed last spring would provide full funding within 10 years.”

     While avoiding calls for creating a new entitlement program through mandatory spending, President Bush's budget for the upcoming fiscal year includes a $1 billion increase in discretionary funding for IDEA. The budget resolution passed by House Republicans this spring calls for full funding of IDEA within 10 years - contingent on enactment of much-needed reforms such as paperwork reduction and increased accountability for improving academic results for children.

     In June, Castle launched the “Great IDEAs” website (which can be accessed at http://edworkforce.house.gov), a project that seeks direct input from teachers, parents, students and others on how Congress should improve special education law. To assist the committee in reauthorizing and reforming IDEA, Castle has asked for input on issues including:

· Increasing accountability and improving education results for students with disabilities.

· Reducing the paperwork burden.

· Improving early intervention strategies.

· Reducing overidentification/misidentification of nondisabled children, including minority youth.

· Encouraging innovative approaches to parental involvement and parental choice.

· Supporting general education and special education teachers.

· Rewarding innovation and improved education results.

· Restoring trust and reducing litigation.

· Ensuring school safety.

· Reforming special education finance and funding.

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