IDEA is a good law and does not need to be changed. In response to congressional inquiry, the GAO surveyed school personnel who validated the efficacy of the existing IDEA discipline provisions. Schools were given ample authority under the 1997 IDEA Amendments to discipline students with disabilities and to maintain environments conducive to learning. For example, a student with a disability who violates a school's code of conduct, or who brings a weapon or drugs to school, can be immediately removed from school.
Schools can immediately call the police and report crimes committed by students with disabilities.
While education services cannot be terminated, a child can be removed from his home school and placed in an alternative setting. The current discipline provisions of IDEA make our communities safer. IDEA currently bars schools from ceasing to provide education services to IDEA-enrolled children. Law enforcement agencies across the country report that ceasing education services for any child only increases juvenile crime. In fact, research demonstrates that cessation of education services leads to increases in juvenile crime, drop out rates, incarceration and drug use.