SPECIAL EDUCATION

WHEREAS, over the past decade, significant improvement has been made in the identification and placement of exceptional children and in the development of appropriate educational programs for these children, and children with handicapping conditions now comprise over 11 percent of the total public school population; and

WHEREAS, improvements have been made in the assessment of children referred for special education, but there is still a disproportionate number of minority students referred for evaluation and labeled as mentally retarded; and

WHEREAS, in accordance with the law, handicapped children should be educated in the least-restrictive environment to the maximum extent appropriate, but many exceptional students do not receive maximum educational benefits from a totally mainstreamed instructional setting; and

WHEREAS, there has been a substantial increase in funds devoted to special education, but the promised federal contribution of 40 percent of the average per-pupil expenditure has never been met; and

WHEREAS, inadequate funding is responsible for many of the problems and frustrations experienced by par­ents and teachers from referral backlogs, inadequate support and related services, overcrowded classes, inappropriate placements and general noncompliance with P.L. 94-142; and

WHEREAS, the current trend is to explore a merged unitary system for special and general education as an alternative way of serving mildly handicapped students by integrating them totally into the general edu­cation program and eliminating special education classes:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers will explore alternative delivery systems for educating mildly handicapped students in the context of a restructured school setting where targeted resources follow the exceptional child and special and general education teachers and paraprofessionals are able to work together to plan appropriate instruction for all students.