Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Obama vs. McCain on Special Education Law

Do you know where the major candidates for President stand on the issues involving special education law? We don't!
We were inspired to think of this question by a post a while ago on the Edjurist Accord. Our buddy Justin pointed out that we don't really know where they stand on IDEA issues. So we here at the Special Education Law Blog are about to enter the political sphere. We feel that our readers should know the detailed special education positions of the candidates, and so we are going to ask them. This seemed like a very good use of the blogosphere doesn't it?
We'll ask about full funding of IDEA. School districts were promised federal funds in the amount of 40% of special ed costs when the predecessor to IDEA passed. IDEA funding is now less than 17%. Talk about an unfunded mandate!
We'll ask about Reauthorization of NCLB and IDEA. We'll ask about whether they might change Rowley standard. We'll ask about whether they will propose changes to the law in light of Supreme Court decisions like Murphy (expert W fees); Weast (burden of persuasion); Winkleman (pro se parents in court); and Buckhannon (attorney's fees).
We're also open to suggestions. We need your help. What would you ask the candidates about special education, and especially changes in the law you'd like to see. We will put together the requests in the next week or so and send them off to the candidates. If we get responses, we'll publish them here and try to get others to publicize them. If we don't we'll publish that fact and publicize it as well.
Please submit your suggestions as early as possible. We look forward to hearing from you!

21 comments:

  1. Thanks for your vote, we are voting for your blog.
    Good Luck

    ReplyDelete
  2. hi jim
    thanks for your vote:)
    but I couldn't join that site.it always shows mistake..:(
    have a nice day

    yosunbuka

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks E.Z.V. and Y,

    please keep on reading this blog

    JG

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think my question would center around which direction they see special education moving under their administration, toward parental/student rights or toward schools. There are lots of specific questions I have, but I would like to know which way they would swing the pendulum because that kind of big picture issue is something the president and the Whitehouse would actually have a role in.

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  5. McCain has voted against funding for special education (3/96)as well as against funding for Head Start is apposed to smaller class sizes all of which impact children with special needs in the schools and their opportunities. Regardless of what he says now his record is deplorable! Obama has voted to fully fund IDEA and has consistently supported good education policy, programs and the funding to back them up for all children and youth including those who have a need for special education services. I'm sure if you look at their records you will get a view of where they stand (during an election year I'm sure they would both say what they think you want to hear). I wouldn't trust McCain an inch on Special Education given his well documented voting record!

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  6. I guess some how Mr.maccain is really talking nicely on the debate.Link Building Services -http://bestsolutionofit.com/

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