INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

WHEREAS, P.L. 94-142 speaks to providing opportunities for students with disabilities to interact with students without disabilities in a regular education setting; and

WHEREAS, P.L. 94-142 is open for reauthorization and needs clarification on several sections such as "health related services" to address the expanding needs of the medically fragile and more severely impaired students in a special or regular education classroom setting; and

WHEREAS, organizations such as TASH (The Association for Severely Handicapped), CEC (Council for Exceptional Children), ARC (Association for Retarded Citizens) and other advocacy and parent groups across the country are raising the issue of students with disabilities whose civil rights are being violated by being educated separately from their non-handicapped peers; and

WHEREAS, Centers for Inclusion are being established to assist in implementing the least restrictive environment (LRE) in general education buildings throughout local school districts; and

WHEREAS, the decision of a school district to directly operate a program to implement LRE is not bargainable but the effects of the decision on employees are bargainable; and

WHEREAS, teachers are denied full access to the due process proceedings that could affect appropriate placement of students with disabilities and address other vital educational issues and concerns; and

WHEREAS, efforts to place students with disabilities in the LRE in a general education classroom add to the demands on that teacher often providing no support services to student or teacher; and

WHEREAS, all students with or without disabilities could benefit from the knowledge and expertise of the regular and special education teachers' cooperation in providing quality education; and

WHEREAS, teacher education institutions are beginning to combine special and regular education courses and programs changing degrees and certification:

RESOLVED, that AFT lobby for clarification on sections of P.L. 94-142 affecting health-related services, appropriate placement and providing support services for students in the least restrictive environment during the reauthorization process; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT assist locals in including provisions for those personnel affected to share in the planning and implementation of least restrictive environment programs within their school districts; and

RESOLVED, that AFT assist all affected employees through collective bargaining to accommodate for preparedness for the job, modifying class size, mandating support services, team planning and any other issues that need to be addressed for successful student programming; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT use the Special Education Standing Committee to research and secure pertinent information in regards to LRE and the impact on staff, students, locals and teacher preparation programs.