July 1, 2002

The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

On October 2, 2001, you created the President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education (Executive Order 13227) and charged it to prepare and submit a report to you no later than July 1, 2002. The members of the Commission are pleased to submit this report, A New Era: Revitalizing Special Education for Children and Their Families. The report outlines our findings and recommendations for improving the educational performance of children with disabilities.

There is no doubt that the present Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is responsible for many of the current achievements and successes of children with disabilities. But, after six months of listening to parents, educators and experts, the Commission believes much more remains to be done to meet the goal of ensuring that all children with disabilities achieve their full potential.

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is an historic and bipartisan call to action on behalf of all children in America’s public schools. In that spirit, the Commission submits this report that we believe will provide a framework for improving all areas of special education.

We do not presume to hold all of the answers, but we do believe this report provides innovative and fresh approaches to build upon past successes. We hope its suggestions and insights are viewed as a starting point for an important dialogue as well as a basis for reform.

This report represents the thoughts, recommendations and wisdom—spoken and written—of more than 100 recognized special education experts, education finance experts, education and medical researchers, parents of children with disabilities, individuals with disabilities and others with expertise in the field of special education. In addition, the Commission heard from hundreds of other individuals and organizations at 13 public meetings held in cities nationwide. Interested individuals, including parents of students with disabilities, also submitted letters and other written comments.

The members of the Commission share your support for the principles embodied in IDEA. This report incorporates those principles as the basic foundation for each of the recommendations made in the pages that follow. We hope the report serves as a first step in your work on that legislation.

Each Commission member wishes to thank you for this opportunity to serve you and our country in this important endeavor to improve the lives of more than six million children with disabilities and their families. We believe this report provides valuable guidance in creating a New Era, one that ensures that every child in America’s schools—no matter what their disability—has a chance to live and build a brighter, more hopeful future.

Sincerely,

Terry E. Branstad
Chairman

80 F Street, NW, Suite 408, Washington, DC 20208
Phone (202) 208-1312 Voice/TDD Fax (202) 208-1593

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