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IDEA Press Release |
As part of the effort to strengthen educational opportunities for America's six million students with disabilities, the U.S. Department of Education today (March 12, 1999) published in the Federal Register final regulations ti implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997.
"The new IDEA focuses on teaching and learning and establishes high expectations for disable children to achieve real educational results", said U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley.
"The thrust of IDEA has changed from one that merely provides disabled children access to an education to one that improves quality for all children in our schools."
Judith E. Heumann, assistant secretary for special education and rehabilitative services, said, "We have prepared a user-friendly package of regulations. They are designed to help parents, teachers and school administrators understand the federal expectations for basic rights of children with disabilities to a free appropriate public aducation while ensuring that schools have the flexibility and tools necessary to offer a quality education in a safe environment."
The Department of Education's announcement specifically pertaining to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is in their words as follows:
The proposed definition of "Other health impairment" (OHI), at Sec. 300.7(c)(9), has been amended to (1) add "attention deficit disorder" (ADD) and "attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to the list of conditions that could render a child eligible under OHI, and (2) clarify that, with respect to children with ADD/ADHD the phrase "limited strength, vitality, or alertness" includes "a child's heightened alertness to environmental stimuli that results in limited alertness with respct to the education environemnt."
There is now NO QUESTION about the laws intent to include in its coverage, children with ADHD.
Education Secretary, Riley said: "This regulatory package offers some much-needed guidance to those working so hard to improve educational results for all children".
