Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, an avid advocate of disability accessibility, has been quoted as saying, “For too long we’ve been a compliance-driven bureaucracy when it comes to educating students with disabilities…the best way we can give all students the support and services they need is by focusing on results”. As such, the Education department has decided to stray away from the one-size-fits-all model they were promoting, to a more balanced system for students with disabilities.
The new system, that will hopefully improve how states are educating students with disabilities and ultimately pinpointing where assistance is needed most, will take the 2012 year to develop, implement, and review. Because of this, the Education Department’s on-site compliance reviews that typically occur year-round, will have to be postponed. This extra time will allow the Department to focus more closely on making a better system for students with disabilities. When asked about how important this new system is, Secretary Arne Duncan stated, “Few issues touch so much of our lives and few investments are as important to our safety and wellbeing as the commitment to education in America”.
