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Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) heralded the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. This legislation will reauthorize the nation’s special education law for another 6 years, while improving the quality and access of education for children with disabilities. During the 107th Congress, Kildee helped spearhead the initial discussions over this legislation.
“Today’s passage marks an important step towards ensuring that children with disabilities receive a better education,” said Kildee. “Parents are and continue to be a critical component of this legislation. This bill will now allow schools to better serve children with disabilities, while ensuring that all our children have the means to succeed academically. I believe that the federal government can finally live up to the commitment we made to disabled children nearly 30 years ago and provide the appropriate funding to achieve those goals.”
This legislation will make important improvements to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is the main federal law that authorizes federal assistance to states and school districts in order to provide an appropriate public education for children with disabilities.
The Reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act will include the following changes:
- Ensuring the local school districts get some fiscal relief while guaranteeing the rights of disabled children. The bill allows school districts to use a portion of each year’s increase in Federal funding to offset local costs for special education.
- Stronger monitoring and enforcement provisions to ensure that states fix problems before parents are forced to file lawsuits to ensure the education of their children.
- Increased opportunities to resolve disputes between parents and school districts.
- Timelines guaranteeing that children with disabilities are evaluated and receive the services to which they are entitled.
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