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On July 1, the President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education (PCESE) submitted a report entitled A New Era: Revitalizing Special Education for Children and their Families to President Bush.
The report, with its findings and recommendations for improving the educational performance of children with disabilities, was also presented at committee hearings in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
President Bush issued an executive order last fall to create the 24-member commission, which was charged with studying issues related to federal, state, and local special education programs in order to improve the educational performance of students with disabilities. The Commission held 13 open hearings and meetings across the country, where commissioners heard from 109 expert witnesses and more than 175 parents, teachers, students with disabilities, and members of the public. The Commission also received hundreds of letters, written statements, and research.
The commission made three major recommendations:
- Focus on results, not on process
- Embrace a model of prevention, not a model of failure
- Consider children with disabilities as general education children
ASHA is reviewing and analyzing the report. Watch for further coverage in the next issue of The ASHA Leader . For information on the President’s Commission on Special Education and a copy of its report, visit: www.ed.gov/inits/commissionsboards/whspecialeducation/index.html . If you have questions about the commission or IDEA reauthorization, contact Catherine Clarke through the Action Center at 800-498-2071, ext. 4159 or by email at cclarke@asha.org , or Neil Snyder at ext. 4257 or by email at nsnyder@asha.org .
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