Getting on with the Education of Handicapped Children: A Policy of Partnership

Abstract

The state education agency's failure to formulate a clear, consistent public policy regarding use of private schools that serve handicapped children has created problems. Examples of these problems are cited as they affect children—misinterpretation of the term “least restrictive environment,” delays in recommendations for placement, lack of adequate provision of transportation for privately funded children—and as they affect the schools themselves—comparison with public school standards (teacher certification, etc.), local district versus state programmatic and fiscal guidelines, and remedy for public school “misdiagnosis.” A policy which acknowledges the private sector as a level on the educational continuum of services and which produces a uniform set of standards and regulations is suggested.