Raising Achievement of Students with Disabilities
December 2005
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Educators and families know that the vast majority of students with disabilities can achieve to grade level standards. Thanks to the No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law by President Bush in 2002, for the first time the nation is making sure that they do. By assessing students annually and breaking down results by student groups, States are held accountable for continuous improvement toward the goal of having all students read and do math at grade level and closing the achievement gap by 2014.

Last April at Mt. Vernon, Secretary Margaret Spellings promised a new, common-sense approach to implementing No Child Left Behind, and committed to using the best and latest research to ensure students with disabilities are learning and taking meaningful tests. Today the U.S. Department of Education announced proposed regulations that would enable States to improve how they measure the achievement of students with disabilities.

The proposed regulations are designed to meet the needs of students with disabilities who may not reach grade level within the same time frame as their peers, but who can make significant strides given the right instruction. They also contain key criteria to protect students with disabilities from being inappropriately assessed against modified achievement standards.

The Department invites State officials, local educators and the general public to offer their opinions.

Under the No Child Left Behind Act, the immediate needs and academic potential of students with disabilities have been made a national priority.

No Child Left Behind has removed the final barrier to full participation in the classroom, completing the effort begun 30 years ago with the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA].


 
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Last Modified: 12/14/2005