February 13, 2007
No Child Left Behind Must Continue to Focus on High Student Achievement
CCD principles reinforce that states need to set high expectations and be accountable for all students
Washington, D.C – On behalf of nearly 7 million students receiving special education supports and services, disability advocates are sharing their priorities for the NCLB reauthorization with the NCLB Commission, Congress and the Administration.
“All students with disabilities are general education students first,” says Katy Neas, Co-chair of the Consortium’s education task force and key witness at the NCLB Commission Roundtable that focused on students with disabilities. “NCLB must continue to promote a learning environment in which all children are expected to become proficient on grade-level content standards and states, school districts and schools are accountable for their achievement. Special education is a part of general education.”
The Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA) mandates the provision of a free, appropriate public education for
students with disabilities that emphasizes special education and related
services designed to meet their unique needs in order to help prepare them for
further education, employment and independent living. But it is NCLB that has provided the long
needed elements of setting high expectations, doing what works to improve
results for students with disabilities and holding schools accountable for
their academic progress. NCLB requires
that schools have a plan to help all students meet challenging academic
standards. And NCLB specifically
requires systemic accountability for the outcomes of all students, including
students with disabilities, who historically have not had full
access to highly qualified teachers as well as challenging curriculum,
instruction and assessments.
Key principles adopted by CCD include:
· All students with disabilities must be included in the NCLB accountability system
· Highly qualified general and special education teachers must have both the skill and knowledge to teach grade-level content and to teach diverse learners
· Schools must establish environments of high expectations of academic success for all students
· The graduation rate of students with disabilities must be dramatically improved
· Public schools should be provided the resources they need to meet the needs of all students
· Research-based educational practices should be used to ensure every student is receiving instruction and assessments that are appropriate and effective.
“We look forward to reviewing the NCLB
Commission Report and continuing our work with the new Congress and the
Administration,” says Neas. “Our NCLB
Principles lay a foundation for what is important for students, for schools and
for our nation.”
To download the CCD NCLB Principles, visit http://www.c-c-d.org/task_forces/education/NCLB_Principles.pdf
The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities is a coalition of nearly 100 national consumer, advocacy, provider and professional organizations headquartered in Washington, D.C. Since 1973, the CCD has advocated on behalf of people of all ages with physical and mental disabilities and their families. CCD has worked to achieve federal legislation and regulations that assure that the 54 million children and adults with disabilities are fully integrated into the mainstream of society.
For
additional information, please contact:
Katy Beh
Neas, Easter Seals 202.347.3066 kneas@easterseals.com
Education and
the Teacher Education Division of the
Council for
Exceptional Children 202.293.2450
jwest@aacte.org
Jamie
Ruppman, The Advocacy Institute
703.876.1684 Jamie@advocacyinstitute.org