CEC issued proposed questions for the hearing. In his responses, Dr. Paige said he strongly supported the full funding of IDEA, but that he could not commit to a timetable to implement full funding at the current time. He stated that schools must have clear, measurable goals focused on basic skills and essential knowledge, and there should be regular testing to ensure that the goals are being met. Dr. Paige also is in favor of restoring local control, but that schools must in turn be held accountable. School districts across the country have struggled with the cost of educating students with disabilities as mandated by federal law.
Research confirms that qualified teachers make a significant difference in student learning.
Special education teachers, in addition to math and science teachers, persistently represent the most critical shortage area for teachers. Despite this, funds to train qualified teachers have not increased in over 5 years and our nation is facing a shortage of University faculty to train special educators. While projects funded through the Javits Act have been of high quality, recent and dramatic cuts made in FY 1995 have left the program funded below authorized levels and well below its 1990 appropriation level and threaten to make this program insignificant. Recent studies by the Juvenile Justice Department and others document that school violence is on the decline. Nevertheless, specters of violence such as the recent tragedy at Columbine High School and elsewhere demonstrate that we can and must do more to ensure that all children attend schools that are conducive to learning.