MAINSTREAMING SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS

WHEREAS, federal statutes and state guidelines require that special education students be provided with the "least restrictive" educational environment; and

WHEREAS, the state education departments have interpreted these statutes to mean that special education students be placed in regular classrooms to the greatest extent possible; and

WHEREAS, students whose needs can best be met in specialized classes are frequently assigned to regular classes; and

WHEREAS, special education students who are assigned to mainstream classes require additional attention by the mainstream teacher; and

WHEREAS, regular classroom teachers have received little or no training to deal with the unique requirements of special education pupils:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers urges more careful screening and assignment of special education students; and

RESOLVED, that a special education student who is mainstreamed shall carry the special education class size to the mainstream class in such a way so that each special education mainstreamed student shall be considered as three students for class size purposes; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT shall encourage state education departments and local school districts to establish paid, voluntary in-service training programs for classroom teachers so that they can be better prepared to provide instruction for special education pupils in a regular classroom setting.