Young people with disabilities drop out of high school at twice the rate of their peers.

Enrollment rates of students with disabilities in higher education are still 50 percent lower than enrollment among the general population.

Most public school educators do not feel well prepared to work with children with disabilities. In 1998, only 21 percent of public school teachers said they felt very well prepared to address the needs of students with disabilities, and another 41 percent said they felt moderately well prepared.

Of the six million children in special education, almost half of those are identified as having a “specific learning disability.” In fact, this group has grown more than 300 percent since 1976.

Of those with “specific learning disabilities,” 80 percent are there simply because they haven’t learned how to read. Thus, many children receiving special education—up to 40 percent—are there because they weren’t taught to read. The reading difficulties may not be their only area of difficulty, but it is the area that resulted in special education placement. Sadly, few children placed in special education close the achievement gap to a point where they can read and learn like their peers.

Children of minority status are over-represented in some categories of special education. African-American children are twice as likely as white children to be labeled mentally retarded and placed in special education. They are also more likely to be labeled emotionally disturbed and placed in special education.

America’s special education system presents new and continuing challenges. For far too many families, teachers, principals and school districts, special education presents a daunting task—a morass of rules, regulations and litigation that limits access and hinders learning. Hundreds of thousands of parents have seen the benefits of America’s inclusive education system. But, many more see room for improvement.

On January 8, 2002, President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act into law. That law united Congress and our nation. It made a bold, new commitment to every child.

We became a nation committed to judging the schools by one measure and one measure alone: whether every boy and every girl is learning—regardless of race, family background or disability status.

On October 2, 2001, President Bush created the Commission on Excellence in Special Education (the Commission). The Commission continues the President’s education vision for America—an America where every public school reaches out to every single student and encourages every child to learn to his or her full potential.

Although it is true that special education has created a base of civil rights and legal protections, children with disabilities remain those most at risk of being left behind. The facts create an urgency for reform that few can deny.

President Bush sought a commission that would recommend reforms to improve America’s special education system and move it from a culture of compliance to a culture of accountability for results.

The President earnestly desires a new era in special education—one that doesn’t seek to meet minimum requirements, but rather embraces increased academic achievement and real results for every child with a disability. He desires a special education system that aspires to excellence.

The Commission’s charge was to encourage an open dialogue with parents, teachers, families and communities in an effort to gather insights as well as find better ways to meet the learning needs of children with disabilities.

"Although it is true that special education has created a base of civil rights and legal protections, children with disabilities remain those most at risk of being left behind. The facts create an urgency for reform that few can deny."

The Commission heard from hundreds of individuals and organizations at 13 public hearings and meetings—held in cities throughout our nation. The Commission also invited and received hundreds of written comments.

Their voices were heard.

From the parents who are generally satisfied with special education, to the parents and teachers who expressed deep frustration, we listened.

Their needs are the impetus for reform. Their hopes are the imperative for action.

What we found was a system in need of fundamental re-thinking, a shift in priorities and a new commitment to individual needs. What we saw was a need for reforms that promise to transform and reach the life of every child with a disability as well as empower every parent.

The Commission worked from the simple principle that accountability for results matters, that parents desire maximum input, and educators want to see efficiency melded with compassion and improved outcomes. The ultimate test of the value of special education is that, once identified, children close the achievement gap with their peers. That’s what accountability for results is about.

Yet, after hundreds of comments and letters on the real complexities in the system, we found common threads among those whose needs were not being met.

In short, our reforms must remove the bureaucracy and regulations that prevent a focus on closing the gap. We must begin with the simple question of whether children with disabilities are learning and functioning well and then reform and tailor the system from there.

To overcome the many challenges to and obstacles in our special education system, we must consider reforms at every level of public education, from the federal to the local level, so that every resource is tailored to the specific needs of students and families.

This report represents the thoughts, suggestions and wisdom of more than 100 recognized special education experts, special and regular education finance experts, education and medical researchers, parents of children with disabilities, individuals with disabilities, teachers and administrators and others possessing special education expertise and direct experience with the status quo.

After months of work, we could not agree more with President Bush. We believe and we know we can do better by applying many of the same principles of No Child Left Behind to IDEA: accountability for results; flexibility; local solutions for local challenges; scientifically based programs and teaching methods; and full information and options for parents.

The members of the Commission are pleased to submit this report, A New Era: Revitalizing Special Education for Children and Their Families. The report outlines our findings and recommendations for improving the educational performance of children with disabilities.

Ultimately, it is a message of hope, an invitation to a new era in education dedicated to excellence.

We know this report will build on the President’s desire for a simpler, fairer, more compassionate and more effective special education system. We know, because we listened to the American people. We know that special education is not a place—it’s a service and should be accountable for results.

This year, President Bush has asked for the largest increase in federal funding for IDEA of any president in history, a billion dollar increase to $8.5 billion dollars. That means the federal government will be supplying $1,300 for every child with a disability—the highest funding ever.

But, we cannot be satisfied with merely spending more. We must spend more wisely. The No Child Left Behind Act united Congress behind the idea that we can no longer afford to just debate about money. Every education reform must focus on results. Every education idea must be judged by its effect on children.

It is the Commission’s hope that this report provides a solid foundation for continuing the President’s leadership in education. The report offers an invitation to a New Era—an era that serves the needs of the child first, an era that focuses on results and an era that hones our teaching and instruction to identify needs early and accurately and provides every child with help swiftly and surely.

It is our hope that this report will continue the bipartisan spirit for education reform already achieved so that we ensure our nation leaves no child behind.

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