INTERVIEW AVAILABILITY: Serious concerns about ESEA flex waiver

February 10, 2012

WHAT:
The U.S. Department of Education Thursday approved Florida’s request for a flexibility waiver from the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA). Florida was one of 11 states asking for flexibility with regard to accountability standards mandated by the No Child Left Behind legislation implemented in 2001. The state requested the waiver to be able to move to a single statewide accountability system that would eliminate duplicative regulation and make Florida’s system easier to understand. (More: http://www.fldoe.org/esea/)

CONCERNS RAISED:
Some special education scholars and disability advocacy groups are concerned that the flex waiver will remove students with disabilities from the education system’s accountability process, watering down the curriculum and removing key instructional resources currently benefiting students with learning disabilities. They say the new accountability systems (resulting from the waiver) “may blur the specific learning needs of students such as those with disabilities or limited English proficiency.”

WHO:
Mary Brownell, Ph.D.
Professor, Special Education
The Irving and Rose Fien Endowwed Professor
Director, National Comprehensive Center to Improve Policy & Practice (NCIPP) in Special Education Professional Development

CONTACT INFO: mbrownell@coe.ufl.edu, (c) 352-514-1195

Dr. Brownell can be reached reached Feb. 10 after 2 p.m.