Ed Moscovitch has bravely ventured out into this dangerous terrain with a fact-filled yet compassionate study. His research on current special education practices will open many eyes, even among knowledgeable educators. His recommendations for reform will doubtless stir a debate that is long overdue. Because the subject of special education reform has been politically taboo for so long, a number of critical questions need to be aired and answered. Questions such as these do not yield simple answers.
Reasonable people can and do disagree about how to improve the state's special education program.
For example, the Pioneer Institute believes that all parents, including those of children with special needs, should have as much choice as possible with regard to public school placement. One of the great contributions of this study is that it makes possible a meaningful, fact-based discussion of issues such as this, which would otherwise be obscured by preconceptions and vested interests. Dr. Moscovitch argues persuasively that Chapter 766 has more to do with civil rights than education. The reliance on legally enforceable rights has caused the good intentions of Chapter 766's authors to go awry. Pioneer hopes that this study will help launch a much-needed review of the effectiveness of Chapter 766 and of alternative methods for meeting the needs of both regular and special needs students.