On October 3, 2001, President George Bush established a Commission on Excellence in Special Education to collect information and study issues related to Federal, State, and local special education programs with the goal of recommending policies for improving the education performance of students with disabilities.
President Bush charged the Commission with studying issues related to federal, state, and local special education programs in order to improve the educational performance of students with disabilities. The Commission held 13 open hearings and meetings across the country. At those meetings and hearings, the members heard from 109 expert witnesses and more than 175 parents, teachers, students with disabilities, and members of the public. Hundreds of other individuals provided the Commission with letters, written statements, and research. The Commission's effort represents the most expansive review of special education in the 27-year history of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. The Commission submitted this report to The White House on July 1 as required by the Executive Order. For more information visit the Commission online.
The Commission's report, A New Era: Revitalizing Special Education for Children and their Families, is available on-line. The report offers recommendations on a number of topics including mediation and dispute resolution. Particularly related is the section entitled "Improve the IEP Process, Prevent Disputes and Improve Dispute Resolution" found on pages 42-44.