From: Almsguy@aol.com
Subject: US Dept Ed.  IDEA (Forward From dandrews@visi.com)
The following may have already hit your mail boxes, but to those who have not
subscribed to a news service which provides this kind of information, I
thought I'd relay it.  It would seem especially important to those of you who
are a part of a University or College...
Dave
  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
  34 CFR Part 300
  Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Individuals With
  Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997
  AGENCY: Department of Education.
  ACTION: Notice of request for advice and recommendations on regulatory
issues
  under the IDEA Amendments of 1997.
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  SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education (Secretary) solicits advice and
  recommendations from the public--including persons with disabilities and
  their representatives; Federal, State, and local education administrators;
  parents; teachers; and members of local boards of education--prior to
  publishing proposed regulations to implement programs under the recently
  enacted IDEA Amendments of 1997.
  DATES: In order to be assured of consideration in developing the proposed
  regulations, comments should be received on or before July 28, 1997.
  ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Thomas Irvin, Office of Special
  Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education, Room
  4607, Mary E. Switzer Building, 330 C St., SW., Washington, DC 20202.
  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Irvin--Telephone (202) 205-8825 or
  JoLeta Reynolds--Telephone: (202) 205-5507. Individuals who use a
  telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call (202) 205-5465 or the
  Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8:00
a.m.
  and 8:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
  Background
    On June 4, 1997, the President signed into law Pub. L. 105-17, the
  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, amending
the
  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Enactment of these
  amendments provides an opportunity to consider improvements in all of the
  regulations implementing the IDEA, including both formula and discretionary
  grant programs, that would strengthen the Federal effort to give every
child
  a world-class education based on high standards.
  Invitation to Comment
    This request for comments is designed to elicit the views of interested
  parties on IDEA regulatory issues, particularly persons with disabilities
and
  their representatives; Federal, State, and local education administrators;
  parents; teachers; and members of local boards of education.
    The Department will regulate consistent with its Principles for
Regulating,
  under which the Department considers whether regulations are needed to
  promote quality and equality in educational opportunity, whether a
  demonstrated problem requires the issuance of regulations, whether
  regulations are needed to resolve ambiguity, and whether a uniform approach
  to a situation is appropriate. In developing regulations, the Department's
  policy will be to provide flexibility and minimize burden to the extent
  consistent with ensuring the implementation of the protections provided to
  children with disabilities and their parents by the IDEA. The Department is
  particularly interested in public input on areas in which regulations are
  needed to clarify provisions of the statute.
    The Secretary requests that each commenter identify her or his role in
  special education, regular education, or early intervention, if any, and
the
  perspective from which she or he views the educational system--either as a
  representative of persons with disabilities or of an association, agency,
or
  school (public or private), or as an individual person with a disability,
  teacher, student, parent, or private citizen. The Secretary urges each
  commenter to be specific regarding her or his recommendations, including
  identifying the particular section of IDEA or of the current IDEA
regulations
  pertinent to the comment.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available for
  public inspection during and after the comment period in Room 4607, Mary E.
  Switzer Building, 300 C St., SW., Washington, DC, between the hours of 9:00
  a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday of each week except Federal
  holidays.
  (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.027, Assistance to States
  for Education of Children with Disabilities)
    Dated: June 23, 1997.
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