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Correspondence

Committee Requests GAO Report on the Administrative Burdens of IDEA



 Dear Mr. Dodaro:

On December 3, 2004, President George W. Bush signed into law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-446), which revised and reformed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. The law included several provisions to address the significant administrative and paperwork burden associated with current federal law. Specifically, Title I, Part A, Section 609 authorized a 15 state pilot program on paperwork reduction, while Part B, Section 617 mandated the Secretary of Education to develop model forms around the Individualized Education Program (IEP), notice of procedural safeguards, and prior written notice. Combined, these two sections were intended to address the administrative and paperwork burden placed upon states, school districts, schools, administrators, educators, service providers, and parents. Unfortunately, no state has applied for the pilot program and the model forms have never been adopted in the field.

Since the 2004 reauthorization, state and local officials have continued to push for relief from the law’s administrative and paperwork mandates, so educators can focus more time and resources on providing services directly to special education students.

To read the full letter, click here.
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