106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 399
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Whereas the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of
1975 (Public Law 94–142) was signed into law 25 years
ago on November 29, 1975, and amended the State grant
program under part B of the Education of the Handi-
capped Act;
Whereas the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of
1975 established the Federal policy of ensuring that all
•HCON 399 EH
children, regardless of the nature or severity of their dis-
ability, have available to them a free appropriate public
education in the least restrictive environment;
Whereas the Education of the Handicapped Act was further
amended by the Education of the Handicapped Act
Amendments of 1986 (Public Law 99–457) to create a
preschool grant program for children with disabilities 3
to 5 years of age and an early intervention program for
infants and toddlers with disabilities from birth through
age 2;
Whereas the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments
of 1990 (Public Law 101–476) renamed the statute as
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA);
Whereas IDEA currently serves an estimated 200,000 infants
and toddlers, 600,000 preschoolers, and 5,400,000 chil-
dren 6 to 21 years of age;
Whereas IDEA has assisted in a dramatic reduction in the
number of children with developmental disabilities who
must live in State institutions away from their families;
Whereas the number of children with disabilities who com-
plete high school has grown significantly since the enact-
ment of IDEA;
Whereas the number of children with disabilities who enroll
in college as freshmen has more than tripled since the en-
actment of IDEA;
Whereas IDEA has raised the Nation’s expectations about
the abilities of children with disabilities by requiring ac-
cess to the general education curriculum;
Whereas improvements to IDEA made in 1997 changed the
focus of a child’s individualized education program from
procedural requirements placed upon teachers and related
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services personnel to educational results for that child,
thus improving academic achievement;
Whereas changes made in 1997 also addressed the need to
implement behavioral assessments and intervention strat-
egies for children whose behavior impedes learning to en-
sure that they receive appropriate supports in order to
receive a quality education;
Whereas IDEA ensures full partnership between parents of
children with disabilities and education professionals in
the design and implementation of the educational services
provided to children with disabilities;
Whereas IDEA has supported the classrooms of this Nation
by providing Federal resources to the States and local
schools to help meet their obligation to educate all chil-
dren with disabilities;
Whereas, while the Federal Government has not yet met its
commitment to fund part B of IDEA at 40 percent of
the average per pupil expenditure, it has made significant
increases in part B funding by increasing the appropria-
tion by 115 percent since 1995, which is an increase of
over $2,600,000,000;
Whereas the 1997 amendments to IDEA increased the
amount of Federal funds that have a direct impact on
students through improvements such as capping allowable
State administrative expenses, which ensures that nearly
99 percent of funding increases directly reach local
schools, and requiring mediation upon request by parents
in order to reduce costly litigation;
Whereas such amendments also ensured that students whose
schools cannot serve them appropriately and students
who choose to attend private, parochial, and charter
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schools have greater access to free appropriate services
outside of traditional public schools;
Whereas IDEA has supported, through its discretionary pro-
grams, more than two decades of research, demonstra-
tion, and training in effective practices for educating chil-
dren with disabilities, enabling teachers, related services
personnel, and administrators effectively to meet the in-
structional needs of children with disabilities of all ages;
Whereas Federal and State governments can support effec-
tive practices in the classroom to ensure appropriate and
effective services for children with disabilities; and
Whereas IDEA has succeeded in marshalling the resources of
this Nation to implement the promise of full participation
in society of children with disabilities: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress—
(1) recognizes the 25th anniversary of the en-
actment of the Education for All Handicapped Chil-
dren Act of 1975 (Public Law 94–142);
(2) acknowledges the many and varied contribu-
tions of children with disabilities, their parents,
teachers, related services personnel, and administra-
tors; and
(3) reaffirms its support for the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act so that all children
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with disabilities have access to a free appropriate
public education.
Passed the House of Representatives September 25,
2000.
Attest:
Clerk.