ED Holds Fall Community Meetings on IDEA Part B Final Regulations

(10/24/06)

On August 14, 2006, the United States Department of Education (ED) officially released the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B Final Regulations. This fall it is holding a series of community meetings to familiarize the parents, teachers, and the general public with the new regulations. During the meeting, it will also highlight the number of explanatory materials that ED has created to help school districts implement the new regulations. 

All the meetings will begin with a reception and end with a question and answer period. John Hager, the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) and Alexa Posny, Director, Office of Special Education Programs will be in attendance. IDEA provides federal funding to states and local school districts to help pay the costs of special education, including such related services as speech, language, and audiology. The meeting is a great opportunity for you to speak with the lead policy makers in the country for special education and rehabilitation services. 
 
If you live near the meeting locations, ASHA would encourage all school-based SLPs and audiologists to attend. For more information about the meetings, please contact Deborah Darcy, ASHA's Director of Grassroots Advocacy, by e-mail at ddarcy@asha.org or by phone at 800-498-2071, ext. 5612. If you would like more information about IDEA, please contact Catherine Clarke, ASHA's Director of Education and Regulatory Advocacy, at cclarke@asha.org or 301-296-5611.

The schedule is as follows: