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Special Education Laws And Policies Essay

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There are a number of topics that relate to law, policy & contemporary issues: Standards & Accountability, IDEA, NCLB, ESSA, Advocacy, Inclusion/Collaboration, Positive Behavior Supports, Parental Involvement/Home-school Connection, and Cultural Responsiveness in Special Education. Some individuals familiar with these topics and their stand point on Special Needs Education and others have are clueless. It is imperative to “be in the know” of Special Education laws and policies. Part of what makes everything so confusing is the way the legal process works. First, Congress passes a law. For example, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was most recently reauthorized in 2004. At that time, several substantive changes were made in the law. Next, the U.S. Department of Education writes regulations to help explain the law. The public was asked to give input, and a lengthy process followed. The regulations for IDEA 2004 are expected to finally become part of the federal code and made available in late 2006, two years after the law passed. Meanwhile, each state has to make sure its laws are in compliance with federal law (GreatSchoolsStaff). This means that new laws had to be passed by state legislators in order to be in compliance with IDEA. While states must offer at least what the federal government requires, they may choose to provide more.
Raising academic standards for all students and measuring student achievement to hold schools accountable for
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