Letter from NCLD (LD News: August 2006)

Dear NCLD Supporters and Constituents,

As many of you know, over the past four years NCLD has fought to reform and strengthen the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). We have invested financial resources, consulted with and enlisted the support of respected researchers, thought leaders and foundations, and mobilized thousands of parent activists to use our Web sites to advocate for a more effective federal law. Our goal has been consistent: to ensure earlier, stronger and more effective intervention for young children who struggle to learn. We are, therefore, delighted that the U.S. Department of Education has released the final regulations for IDEA, which pave the way for ensuring that children are identified, supported, served and respected earlier and better.

On August 3, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings released the final regulations, and the results are excellent: states must not require the discredited IQ-achievement discrepancy model, and they must allow use of Response to Intervention as a way to help identify students with LD. The regulations addressed widespread concerns about the Act, calling for sooner action and alternate methods in determining which children need extra help before the third grade. Regulation changes, as well as information on the successful No Child Left Behind program, Reading First, can be found in the Policy Briefs section of this month's newsletter. 

Also in this month's newsletter we call attention to counter-effects in the practice of "academic redshirting" which keeps a student back a year in kindergarten or delays their start to allow time for further development. In addition we update you on a new "recognition and response" approach that identifies struggling young students before they fail.

Our work is not done " the challenge ahead is huge, but promising, and we at NCLD are excited to move forward!

Warm regards,
James H. Wendorf
Executive Director
National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc. 

The National Center for Learning Disabilities is listed by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All gifts made to NCLD are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. I hope that you consider making a contribution to NCLD today and thank you in advance for your generosity. NCLD greatly appreciates your support of our work!