tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691205078500083881.post1140270153181464066..comments2024-03-09T21:28:30.555-05:00Comments on Special Education Law Blog: What Should Be the Federal Role in Education?Jim Gerlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12482331907215552507noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691205078500083881.post-23167618579995292632009-02-23T11:29:00.000-05:002009-02-23T11:29:00.000-05:00Joanthan,Thank you for your thoughtful response. ...Joanthan,<BR/><BR/>Thank you for your thoughtful response. <BR/><BR/>I agree that the question is not easily nswered.Jim Gerlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12482331907215552507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691205078500083881.post-40161659960849495662009-02-22T17:41:00.000-05:002009-02-22T17:41:00.000-05:00I believe the question of the federal government's...I believe the question of the federal government's role in education is complicated and quite difficult to pin down. Most of the time, the issue seems to be viewed and discussed through the lens of particular interventions. <BR/><BR/>For example, someone with my views on education policy might be tempted to say that the IDEA's requirement that all students receive a FAPE, and the failures of states to provide the majority of disabled students with meaningful educational opportunities prior to its enactment shows that education is properly the province of the federal government. <BR/><BR/>On the other hand, they might say that the NCLB's requirements for state assessments, specifically its refusal to allow states to continue to use holistic, individualized, portfolio type assessments, which I believe have the potential to be far more accurate than prevailing standardized tests, particularly with respect to disabled students, shows that the federal government should stay out of education, and has no business dictating how students are evaluated.<BR/><BR/>I think its clear that the federal government has an important role in public education, but its hard for me to pin down exactly what I believe that role should be. It may be somewhat shortsighted, but at the moment, I have to say that I feel that there are many specific issues in educational policy that are more important than the abstract question of the federal government's role. In other words, even if I was to conclude that, considered in isolation, the federal government's role in education should be limited, I would still support federal mandates that were in keeping with my views on educational policy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1691205078500083881.post-61962641632185176462009-02-22T16:18:00.000-05:002009-02-22T16:18:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.LC Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661553559911270375noreply@blogger.com