97-16796. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 124 (Friday, June 27, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 35052]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-16796]



[[Page 35051]]

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Part IX





Department of Education





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34 CFR Part 300



Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Individuals 
With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997; Proposed 
Rule

Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 124 / Friday, June 27, 1997 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 35052]]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

34 CFR Part 300


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; 
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of request for advice and recommendations on regulatory 
issues under the IDEA Amendments of 1997.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education (Secretary) solicits advice and 
recommendations from the public--including persons with disabilities 
and their representatives; Federal, State, and local education 
administrators; parents; teachers; and members of local boards of 
education--prior to publishing proposed regulations to implement 
programs under the recently enacted IDEA Amendments of 1997.

DATES: In order to be assured of consideration in developing the 
proposed regulations, comments should be received on or before July 28, 
1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Thomas Irvin, Office of 
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of 
Education, Room 4607, Mary E. Switzer Building, 330 C St., SW., 
Washington, DC 20202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Irvin--Telephone [phone] 
or JoLeta Reynolds--Telephone: [phone]. Individuals who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call [phone] or 
the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 
8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On June 4, 1997, the President signed into law Pub. L. 105-17, the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, 
amending the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 
Enactment of these amendments provides an opportunity to consider 
improvements in all of the regulations implementing the IDEA, including 
both formula and discretionary grant programs, that would strengthen 
the Federal effort to give every child a world-class education based on 
high standards.

Invitation to Comment

    This request for comments is designed to elicit the views of 
interested parties on IDEA regulatory issues, particularly persons with 
disabilities and their representatives; Federal, State, and local 
education administrators; parents; teachers; and members of local 
boards of education.
    The Department will regulate consistent with its Principles for 
Regulating, under which the Department considers whether regulations 
are needed to promote quality and equality in educational opportunity, 
whether a demonstrated problem requires the issuance of regulations, 
whether regulations are needed to resolve ambiguity, and whether a 
uniform approach to a situation is appropriate. In developing 
regulations, the Department's policy will be to provide flexibility and 
minimize burden to the extent consistent with ensuring the 
implementation of the protections provided to children with 
disabilities and their parents by the IDEA. The Department is 
particularly interested in public input on areas in which regulations 
are needed to clarify provisions of the statute.
    The Secretary requests that each commenter identify her or his role 
in special education, regular education, or early intervention, if any, 
and the perspective from which she or he views the educational system--
either as a representative of persons with disabilities or of an 
association, agency, or school (public or private), or as an individual 
person with a disability, teacher, student, parent, or private citizen. 
The Secretary urges each commenter to be specific regarding her or his 
recommendations, including identifying the particular section of IDEA 
or of the current IDEA regulations pertinent to the comment.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice will be available 
for public inspection during and after the comment period in Room 4607, 
Mary E. Switzer Building, 300 C St., SW., Washington, DC, between the 
hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday of each week 
except Federal holidays.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.027, Assistance to 
States for Education of Children with Disabilities)

    Dated: June 23, 1997.
Richard W. Riley,
Secretary of Education.
[FR Doc. 97-16796 Filed 6-26-97; 8:45 am]
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