App A Statute

Appendix A

Copy of Statute

SEC. 664. <<NOTE: 20 USC 1464.>> STUDIES AND EVALUATIONS.

``(a) Studies and Evaluations.--

``(1) Delegation.--The Secretary shall delegate to the

Director of the Institute of Education Sciences responsibility

to carry out this section, other than subsections (d) and (f).

``(2) Assessment.--The Secretary shall, directly or through

grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements awarded to eligible

entities on a competitive basis, assess the progress in the

implementation of this title, including the effectiveness of

State and local efforts to provide--

``(A) a free appropriate public education to

children with disabilities; and

``(B) early intervention services to infants and

toddlers with disabilities, and infants and toddlers who

would be at risk of having substantial developmental

delays if early intervention services were not provided

to the infants and toddlers.

``(b) Assessment of National Activities.--

``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a national

assessment of activities carried out with Federal funds under

this title in order--

``(A) to determine the effectiveness of this title

in achieving the purposes of this title;

``(B) to provide timely information to the

President, Congress, the States, local educational

agencies, and the public on how to implement this title

more effectively; and

``(C) to provide the President and Congress with

information that will be useful in developing

legislation to achieve the purposes of this title more

effectively.

``(2) Scope of assessment.--The national assessment shall

assess activities supported under this title, including--

``(A) the implementation of programs assisted under

this title and the impact of such programs on addressing

the developmental needs of, and improving the academic

achievement of, children with disabilities to enable the

children to reach challenging developmental goals and

challenging State academic content standards based on

State academic assessments;

``(B) the types of programs and services that have

demonstrated the greatest likelihood of helping students

reach the challenging State academic content standards

and developmental goals;

``(C) the implementation of the professional

development activities assisted under this title and the

impact on instruction, student academic achievement, and

teacher qualifications to enhance the ability of special

education teachers and regular education teachers to

improve results for children with disabilities; and

``(D) the effectiveness of schools, local

educational agencies, States, other recipients of

assistance under this title, and the Secretary in

achieving the purposes of this title by--

``(i) improving the academic achievement of

children with disabilities and their performance

on regular statewide assessments as compared to

nondisabled children, and the performance of

children with disabilities on alternate

assessments;

``(ii) improving the participation of children

with disabilities in the general education

curriculum;

``(iii) improving the transitions of children

with disabilities at natural transition points;

``(iv) placing and serving children with

disabilities, including minority children, in the

least restrictive environment appropriate;

``(v) preventing children with disabilities,

especially children with emotional disturbances

and specific learning disabilities, from dropping

out of school;

``(vi) addressing the reading and literacy

needs of children with disabilities;

``(vii) reducing the inappropriate

overidentification of children, especially

minority and limited English proficient children,

as having a disability;

``(viii) improving the participation of

parents of children with disabilities in the

education of their children; and

``(ix) resolving disagreements between

education personnel and parents through alternate

dispute resolution activities, including

mediation.

``(3) Interim and final reports.--The Secretary shall submit

to the President and Congress--

``(A) an interim report that summarizes the

preliminary findings of the assessment not later than 3

years after the date of enactment of the Individuals

with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004; and

``(B) a final report of the findings of the

assessment not later than 5 years after the date of

enactment of such Act.

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