Federal IDEA program on shaky ground

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensures students with a disability are provided with a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) meant for their specific needs. Before IDEA was enacted, from 1975-1990 it was known as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA). Congress reauthorized EHA at the end of 1990, changing the title to IDEA, with the goal of providing children with disabilities the same opportunity for education as students who do not have a disability. 

IDEA is comprised of four parts:

~Part A covers the general requirements of the law;

~Part B covers education assistance for all children with disabilities;

~Part C covers infants and toddlers with disabilities;

~Part D consists of national support programs operated at the federal level. 

Each part of the law has stayed pretty much the same since enactment in 1975. But IDEA expanded on the EHA, by promoting research and technology development, transitioning programs for graduated high school students and programs educating children in their neighborhood schools, rather than separate schools. IDEA supports early intervention services for infants, toddlers and their families, and gives competitive discretionary grants. 

By 2003, only 25% of deaf or blind children were educated at state institutions. As of 2006, more than 6 million children nationwide received special education services through IDEA. 

Now, under the Trump regime, any and all positive gains are on shaky ground. The worry now is the possibility of removing the Office of Special Education from the US Dept. of Education and putting it into the US Dept. of Health & Human Services (can you imagine!). Also reducing federal fundings and placing tighter restrictions on federal funds. 

In New Hampshire we have two Liberty Alliance members who both scored an "A-" rating for their votes this past Session, now presenting “study” legislation. Rep. Bryan Morse of Franklin is sponsoring HB 1221 which would direct the education commission to “study costs of special education to consider establishing centralized locations throughout the state for certain special education-related services.” He’s hoping to reduce the costs for services to districts. Here’s a couple of thoughts . . .how about if the state pays its mandated share for public education for a start and y’all stop repealing sources of revenue? 

Rep. Greg Hill of Northfield is sponsoring HB 1099, to establish a “committee to study private businesses providing special and behavioral education services to school age children, and whether local school districts are receiving adequate reimbursement for special and behavioral education services that are provided.” This one bears watching, too.

In 1975 Pres. Gerald Ford signed the EHA (now IDEA) into law, when just 20% of children with disabilities were in public schools, the rest were either institutionalized in places like the Laconia State School, or lived at home with no opportunities for education. The law assured disabled children the right to a proper and free public education which helped to improve their lives. 

Parents in NH are involved in and part of the team in programs created for their child. Do we want the above-mentioned bills to begin the slide back to the days of state institutions?