THE EDUCATION FOR ALL HANDICAPPED CHILDREN ACT

WHEREAS, many provisions of Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, will be implemented in October of this school year; and

WHEREAS, some features of the law, such as, individualized written education plans, lack of due process protections for teachers, an overly bureaucratic structure for placement and provision of services, a financing mechanism that will not provide funds when they are most needed and a lack of adequate support personnel, and class size guarantees for provision of education in the least restrictive environment, require amendment to assure that the program is educationally sound for both students and teachers; and

WHEREAS, implementation of Public Law 94-142 now threatens to be violative of existing collective bargaining agreements; and

WHEREAS, the federal regulations will be impossible to implement in their present form:

RESOLVED, that the AFT go on record to urge the following statements to be submitted as Amendments to the Law:

• Nothing in Public Law 94-142 will be violative of any collective bargaining agreements;

• Public Law 94-142 shall not be used as an instrument for accountability and/or litigation against employees; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT call upon the appropriate committees of Congress to initiate hearings on these questions; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT seek amendments to this law to protect the rights of teachers and assure the provision of quality education to all children; and

RESOLVED, that a time table be established to fully fund the implementation of Public Law 94-142.