Home > Special Insights Archive > December 2002 - January 2003 > More on the Commission on Excellence

In the last issue of Special Insights, the Commission on Excellence on Special Education was reviewed. The commission unequivocally views parental empowerment as essential to excellence in special education.

Secretary of Education Rod Paige offers this: "No one cares more about your child's future than you do, and no one is better positioned to hold schools accountable for performance than you are. You have a right to know whether your children are really learning at school . . . If your child is not making adequate progress, you can -- and must -- ask why. A good teacher will be happy to answer your questions. Do you part and ask."

As parents, it is important to become educated on such legislation, as it will affect educational policy and decision-making for disabled students. Easy steps to take include viewing the No Child Left Behind Act web site or visiting the library at the Parent Network of WNY to view the many web sites available to parents with children with disabilities. Simply put, informed parents make better advocates for their children.

Information for this article was obtained from the National Association of State Boards of Education Legislative Brief, Vol. 2, No. 13 and the Wrightslaw website.

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