William L. Clay: “today, we debate the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act which mandates a free appropriate public education for…”

“today, we debate the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act which mandates a free appropriate public education for children with disabilities and provides Federal funding to State and local education agencies in helping to meet this goal. IDEA is the main Federal law intended to support and improve early intervention and special education for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. The centerpiece of IDEA is the Grants to States Program that assists States to serve school age children with disabilities. The legislation we debate today is comprehensive. However, the two issues which I will address in my time allotted are first, cessation of services for disabled students, and second, the streamlining of special purpose programs under IDEA. The first issue is the cessation of services for disabled students. In other words, the issue is whether a disabled school-age student can be expelled from school indefinitely without educational services for certain unacceptable behavior. The cessation of educational services to children with disabilities is one of the most controversial changes to IDEA.”