The Connecting Point

Volume 3 Issue 4 June 21st, 2005

In This ISSUE:

1) Proposed IDEA Regulations
2) Washington State Accountability Plan decision letter regarding No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
3) US D epartment of Education Guidance Letter for Supplemental Educational Services under NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
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1) Proposed IDEA Regulations: Troy R. Justesen, acting director of the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education, would like to share with you an important message about issuance of draft regulations to implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA).

IDEA 2004 NPRM
I'm pleased to inform you that the U.S. Department of Education has announced that proposed regulations to implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) are available for public review and comment. The IDEA, passed late last year by Congress, updates the statute, which provides special education and related services for America's 6.8 million children with disabilities.

The revised law aligns IDEA with No Child Left Behind (NCLB), making NCLB and the IDEA partners in serving our nation's children with disabilities, their parents and their schools.

Changes in the law require a new set of regulations to guide the states in implementing IDEA 2004. The official copy of these proposed regulations will be published in the Federal Register within a few days. So that members of the public will have as much time as possible to review the proposed regulations, the Department is posting an unofficial copy on its Web site at www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html .  Using that link, members of the public can also view the dates and locations for a series of public meetings where comments on the proposed regulations will be received by OSERS. Information on submitting written comments on the proposed regulations can also be found using that link.

Having feedback on the draft regulations from parents, teachers, students, state officials and other interested persons is critical for us. We want the final regulations to reflect the dialogue we've been having with the public since the President signed the law last December.

Troy R. Justesen, Acting Director of the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education, PO Box 1398, Jessup, MD, 20794

FROM: MONDAY MORNING IN WASHINGTON DC

2) Washington State Accountability Plan Decision Letter regarding No Child Left Behind (NCLB)- the plan is designed to align Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education (ESEA) Act and No Child Left behind Act of 2001 (NCLB> A summary of changes which include graduation rate goals are included. http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/stateplans03/wacsa.pdf

The full plan is available at : http://www.ed.gov/print/admins/lead/account/letters/acwa.html
http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/stateplans03/wacsa.pdf

3) US D epartment of Education Guidance Letter for Supplemental Educational Services under NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND – was issued June 18, 2005 that further clarifies the roles of states and districts in implementing supplemental educational services under No Child Left Behind , and features ideas for connecting parents to supplemental educational service providers, who offer free tutoring and other academic enrichment activities to students.

"This updated guidance provides important information for states, districts, and providers about their roles and responsibilities for implementing and participating in supplemental educational services," Secretary Spellings said. "We hope it enables more families to access high-quality supplemental educational services programs, and helps schools across the country close the achievement gap."

The guidance provides new information, as well as clarifications and modifications to previously included topics. For instance new information clarifies the steps that states and districts must take when a district is identified as "in need of improvement" and can no longer be a service provider; and revised language makes clear that some teachers can be hired by SES providers, even if they work in a school or school district that is in need of improvement.

The updated guidance also includes a "model" parent letter, which was added to help districts inform parents of the opportunity to enroll their children in free tutoring services.

New information also was added about the use of incentives by providers, how a school district can fairly select providers to work in school buildings, as well as how school districts must spend the full 20 percent of an amount equal to their federal Title I, Part A funding on supplemental educational services and school choice if the demand exists.

The guidance was last updated in August 2003 and since then the Department has made several important policy decisions to address concerns from states, school districts, parents and academic service providers. The Department expects these changes to help all participants in the program work together toward the common goal of helping students achieve to higher standards.

The entire Supplemental Educational Services Non-Regulatory Guidance is available at, http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/letters/acwa.html

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