The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Proposed Regulations for P.L. 108-446

The 108th Congress passed P.L. 108-446, which reauthorized and revised the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA is the major federal the statute authorizing funds for special education and related services for children with disabilities and providing detailed due process provisions to ensure that these children receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Although much of the the basic structure of IDEA has been retained, P.L. 108-446 does make a number of significant changes. Among these are the definition of “highly qualified” teachers, calculation of maximum state grants, funding for high-need children with disabilities, revised state performance goals and requirements for children’s participation in state and local assessments, changes in the private school provisions, exceptions to certain financial requirements, changes in procedural safeguards, and changes in compliance monitoring to focus on student performance.