02-25-02
IDEA: Key Agenda Item
Christina A. Metzler and Leslie Jackson
The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a key priority for AOTA this year. IDEA has been a spur to growth in pediatric practice in schools and early intervention programs, and a higher percentage of AOTA members work in schools or related sites than ever before (approximately 13,000 members identify pediatrics as their area of practice). Supporting IDEA reauthorization also provides an opportunity to accomplish the twin goals of public policy advocacy by AOTA: To maintain and support current practice and to expand the recognition and use of occupational therapy.
The Bush administration has sent signals that movement on IDEA reauthorization will not occur until the summer, giving ample time for advocacy by AOTA and by YOU.
Activity and effort at AOTA have tremendously increased recognition of occupational therapy in the special education and early childhood communities. AOTA has worked with the Consortium for Citizens With Disabilities (CCD) since its beginning more than 25 years ago. Now an AOTA staff person is a co-chair of the Education Task Force, the main purpose of which is to promote IDEA. During the 1997 reauthorization process, AOTA made significant gains with the regular education associations for teachers, principals, parent groups, and others. Therefore it was a natural progression for AOTA to become a partner in the Associations of Service Providers Implementing IDEA Reforms in Education (ASPIIRE) project (see "Capital Briefing," OT Practice, June 18, 2001, p. 10). AOTA's participation in ASPIIRE was based on its earlier effort, the IDEA Partnerships, which brought together occupational therapists and state personnel specialists to collaborate on such issues as shortages and professional credentials.
Since the last IDEA changes were passed in 1997 there have been repeated attempts on Capitol Hill to increase federal funding and to alter protections for students identified as having discipline problems. There is widespread support for increasing how much money the federal government provides to states and local districts for special education--how and how much, of course, remain challenges. The discipline efforts have not been sympathetic to IDEA, but rather have attempted to allow schools greater leeway to expel students without continuing educational services.
President Bush has established a Presidential Commission on Excellence in Special Education to provide guidance on IDEA's purposes. AOTA has provided testimony to the Commission, which will determine where the law is and is not working and examine the appropriate role of the federal government in educating children with disabilities.
The Commission's activity is timed with the scheduled reauthorization consideration of IDEA Part C, the Infants and Toddlers Early Intervention Program. The scheduled reauthorization also provides an opportunity--or danger--to make changes in Part B, the preschool and school-based services section, which is a permanent law but can be changed at any time by Congress. Thus the secretary of education will be charging his staff to draft a proposal on IDEA--giving them a wide berth to address changes in any area, including Part B. The department is doing significant work to gather public comment.
AOTA, through the CCD Education task force, has met with Education Secretary Rod Paige and his appointees in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services to discuss issues such as mental health in schools, funding, and training of professionals. The department has also called for public comment on key areas such as financing Part C/early intervention services, personnel, parental involvement, transition, and paperwork. AOTA's comments have been informed by communication with key profession leaders, including the AOTA ASPIIRE cadre, and occupational therapy practitioners.
AOTA staff are considering research needs to better inform planning for reauthorization and other AOTA IDEA-related activities. In addition, a set of guiding principles for reauthorization for AOTA members and the larger policy community will be developed this spring.
The IDEA areas targeted for change on Capitol Hill are discipline requirements and funding--not changing the description of special education or related services (which includes occupational therapy). However, funding issues may be raised around how to pay for related services, creating the need to protect the available funding for occupational therapy. On the other hand, discipline issues may raise opportunities for expanded recognition of occupational therapy's role in addressing psychosocial issues for children.
With your help informing Congress about OT's role in the special education (watch the Legislative Action Center on AOTA's Web site), AOTA will work on both!
Christina A. Metzler is the group leader of AOTA's Federal Affairs Group.
Leslie Jackson, MEd, OT/L, is a representative in AOTA's Federal Affairs Group.