NAMI 2005 Annual Convention.ppt

NAMI Convention ~ Austin, TX ~ 2005 NAMI 2005 Annual Convention Let’s Talk: Advanced Discussion Forum for NAMI Leaders -- IDEA and Other Policy Considerations for Families Darcy E. Gruttadaro, J.D. Director, NAMI Child Adolescent Action Center IDEA Rewritten and Re-authorized December 3, 2004 -- President Bush signed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), rewriting and re-authorizing provisions of our nation’s special education law. The provisions of the new law take effect on July 1, 2005. U.S. Dept. of Ed. released regulations on June 10th available at . IDEA and NCLB In re-authorizing and rewriting provisions in IDEA, Congress attempted to align IDEA with No Child Left Behind (NCLB). NCLB requires states to implement statewide accountability systems with a focus on annual testing for reading and math. States must report data on academic achievement for students in sub-groups, including those with disabilities. An Update on Important Changes to the IDEA Law The reauthorization process was contentious. The U.S. House introduced a bill to reauthorize IDEA that included many gravely concerning provisions. The U.S. Senate introduced a more balanced bill that sought to maintain provisions currently in the law. Congress reached a compromise in the bill that President Bush signed into law, that eliminates many protections for students with disabilities. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) The IEP is the blueprint for the education and related services that schools must provide to students with disabilities. The rewritten law eliminates the requirement that the IEP include benchmarks and short-term objectives for students, except for the 1% of students with serious cognitive disabilities (NCLB). Congress removed the benchmarks and short-term objectives because schools complained about the administrative burden. The IEP ~ Benchmarks and Short-term Objectives Before the change in the law, the IEP team was required to inclu