[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 110 (Wednesday, August 10, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 10, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      IDEA IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1994

                                 ______


                          HON. CASS BALLENGER

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, August 10, 1994

  Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing the IDEA 
Improvement Act of 1994, a bill that makes various amendments to the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA].
  In putting this bill together, my colleagues and I received a great 
deal of input from parents, teachers, administrators, legal advocates, 
and other special education experts. We did not try to represent one 
particular group's point of view, but instead, have tried to find a 
solid, reasoned approach that will play a constructive role in 
improving the education of children with disabilities.
  To accomplish the best for these children, this bill carefully 
balances three priorities: increasing student achievement and 
accountability; increasing parents' involvement in their children's 
education; and, encouraging informal dispute resolution.
  We need an increased emphasis on student achievement because we know 
that, too often, special education is more process oriented than 
results oriented. We need increased parental involvement because 
parents care the most about their child's well being and must be a full 
partner in the educational process. And finally, we need to encourage 
informal dispute resolution so that special education is focused on 
successfully educating children, not fighting costly legal battles.
  Our legislation includes the following key provisions:
  It focuses on measuring educational achievement and ensuring that 
special education services are targeted to support the student's 
academic performance;
  It gives parents the opportunity to be involved in more school 
meetings relating to their child's education;
  It helps parents be better informed about their child's disabilities 
and how the special education system works;
  It offers voluntary mediation to help settle disputes between parents 
and schools without costly litigation;
  It establishes agreements between State agencies to define payment 
responsibilities for special education and related services;
  It encourages special education programs to coordinate with programs 
like Even Start and Head Start that offer family literacy services; 
and,
  It allows a judge to reduce parental attorney's fees if the parent 
did not first try to informally resolve the dispute.
  Over the last year, there has been a lot of discussion about the 
complex issues surrounding the IDEA. Discussion if fine, my colleagues 
and I believe it is time to move this discussion to a more specific 
level and put some concrete proposals on the table.
  We don't assume to have all the solutions for the problems that have 
been identified with the IDEA, but today we are making an honest 
attempt to face these issues with specific proposals. In that spirit, 
we look forward to continued input from our colleagues and also from 
the parents, teachers, and administrators that deal with the IDEA on a 
daily basis.

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