IDEA

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 significantly improved the educational opportunities for students with disabilities. The IDEA focuses on teaching and learning, and establishes high expectations for students with disabilities to achieve real educational results. The focus of IDEA changed from one that merely provided students with disabilities access to an education to one that improves results for all students in our education system. The IDEA strengthens the role of parents in educational planning and decision making on behalf of their children. It also focuses the students' educational planning process on promoting meaningful access to the general education curriculum.