Consider This from NPR After 50 years, is the future of special education in jeopardy?
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Dec 4, 2025 Corey Turner, NPR's education correspondent, dives into the pivotal history of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). He highlights its inception 50 years ago and examines current threats to its provisions amid recent administrative changes. Corey discusses the challenges of enforcement, including staffing cuts at oversight bodies and personal stories like that of Maggie Heilman, who faced delays in her case. He emphasizes the vital role parents play in advocating for their children's rights, showcasing both the accomplishments and uncertainties facing special education today.
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IDEA Transformed Access To Education
- IDEA guaranteed children with disabilities a right to a free, appropriate public education and changed national expectations for schools.
- The law created a federal commitment to ensure schools include and accommodate students who were previously excluded.
Parent Hearings Spurred Legislative Change
- Ed Martin described that before IDEA many children with disabilities were kept at home and largely invisible.
- He helped organize hearings where parents testified about exclusion, which moved Congress to pass the law.
Law Requires Accommodations And Oversight
- IDEA requires schools to provide accommodations and keep students in general classrooms as much as possible.
- The Education Department funds states and provides oversight through the Office of Special Education Programs.