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Special ed debate moves to Senate
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Now that the House has tackled special education overhaul, Senate leaders say their legislation will have similar priorities. The House on Wednesday reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the latest update to a 1975 law that serves children with physical or emotional disorders. Key elements of the plan include earlier intervention for students with learning trouble, better identification of disabled students and reduced paperwork demands on teachers. House Democrats balked over student-discipline provisions and a plan that outlines -- but doesn't guarantee -- years of significant increases in federal spending on special education. The House bill was approved 251-171, with support from 34 Democrats. The Senate approach: unveil a bipartisan bill by Memorial Day and leave the sticky issues for debate. The Senate has 51 Republicans, 48 Democrats and one independent. "We're talking about setting a tone and a tenor that's hopefully going to engender some significant, serious negotiations down the line," said Jim Manley, spokesman for Sen. Edward Kennedy, the ranking Democrat on the Senate education committee. Two issues that split the House and ultimately went nowhere -- mandatory funding increases and vouchers for private schools -- will probably pop up in Senate debate, too. Both parties agree on key points, though, said Sen. Judd Gregg, R-New Hampshire, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Those areas include better accountability for school performance and new ways for parents and schools to address conflicts "without fear of costly litigation," Gregg said. The Bush administration endorsed the House bill but said it would work with the Senate to strengthen some areas, including preparing disabled children for college or the work force.
Advocates for the disabled say the House plan erodes safeguards and individualized attention for disabled children. "It's just not acceptable," said James Wendorf, executive director of the National Center for Learning Disabilities. "We're going to work with the Senate. Clearly, we need to convince them that students' rights are being seriously compromised." House Democrats lost a bid to make Congress pay 40 percent of special education costs, the amount it promised when it approved the education law more than 25 years ago. GOP leadership ruled out amendments that would have phased in mandatory funding over six to seven years. The Republican plan would increase the federal commitment from 18 percent to 40 percent over seven years, but at the yearly discretion of Congress. Republicans said mandating yearly increases would reduce oversight of special education and limit lawmakers' ability to respond to other needs. The money issue is significant because states and school districts must pay for whatever expenses the Congress does not cover. That amounts to billions of dollars that school leaders say they need for teacher training and salaries, books, equipment and other expenses. Federal spending on special education, which stood between $1 billion and $2 billion throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, has increased to $8.9 billion in recent years. Roughly 6.3 million children with physical or emotional disabilities receive special education. Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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We're going to work with the Senate. Clearly, we need to convince them that students' rights are being seriously compromised.
