California IDEA Summit Stakeholder Survey

On Saturday, January 18, 2003, representatives of statewide stakeholder groups representing parents, advocates, educators, administrators, pupil service providers, and policymakers will convene a Summit in Sacramento to discuss the top issues in the state of California with regard to the re-authorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

The following survey is an attempt to obtain the top priorities for the state of California. Summit Delegates from the various stakeholder groups will use this information to collaborate, discuss, formulate consensus within each topic, and produce a paper that will then be shared with state and federal policymakers. Additionally, a small group of stakeholders will travel to Washington, D.C. to lobby federal representatives in February 2003 on behalf of California special education stakeholders.

Your participation in this survey is vital to determining what should be conveyed to policy makers on behalf of individuals involved in the education of all students.

The Survey is in two (2) parts. Part 1 requests a rank ordering of the top 5 important issues in IDEA for each individual participating in the survey. Part 2 requests responses to 19 specific questions around the different components of IDEA that will aid in focusing discussion and developing consensus. For more information, the following websites may be helpful: http://www.caspsurveys.org/NEW/idea.asp

Please read the instructions above before begining the survey.

1.Self Identification. Indicate your primary role as it relates to the education of individuals with disabilities. Recognizing that you may belong to more than one stakeholder group, please select one category only. Parent/Guardian General Education Teacher Special Education Teacher/Resource Specialist School Psychologist School Administrator School Nurse School Counselor School Speech-Language Pathologist and Audiologist School Social Worker School District Administrator Advocate/Attorney Policymaker - Federal, State, Local Government School District Service Provider (specify below) Private Practice Service Provider (specify below) Other (specify below)

2.Fill out only if the above question requires you to specify.

3.Survey Part 1. In the list below please rank the top 5 items (with 1 being of highest importance) according to the issues you think should be addressed at the California IDEA Summit. (Please select 5 items only.) a) Class Size/Caseloads b) Federal/State Funding c) Research-Based Curriculum/Intervention d) Assessments Eligibility e) Behavior/Discipline f) Student Outcomes/Success g) Better-Defined Special Education Disabilities/Categories h) Least Restrictive Environment i) Monitoring/Compliance j) Litigation/Due Process k) State Standards/School & District Accountability l) Para-Professionals/Classroom Aides m) Alternative Dispute Resolution/Mediation n) Teacher Recruitment/Retention o) Educator Training & Preparation/Credentialing p) IEP Review Cycles/Goals and Objectives q) Paperwork Reduction/Form Standardization r) Prevention/Early Intervention s) Combining/Generalizing IDEA Disability Classifications t) Minority Issues/Overrepresentation u) Family/School Partnerships v) Special/General Education Staff Development/Collaboration w) High Stakes Testing/Promotion/Graduation x) Non-Public Placement/Vouchers y) Transition/Post-Secondary Options Enter responses here in rank order: For example, if your number 1 choice is f), enter f below in the first box.   First choice.

4.Second choice.

5.Third choice.

6.Fourth choice.

7.Fifth choice.

8.Survey Part 2. Please indicate your opinions to the following survey questions. There are 19 items in this section. Congress should adequately fund special and general education programs, including early screening and intervention, to meet the requirements of IDEA. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

9.Increasing administrative activities required by IDEA takes time and funding away from activities necessary to increase student results. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

10.The focus of IDEA funding and activities should be on research validated programs and services known to increase student results/outcomes. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

11.Excessive administrative/legal requirements and related paperwork keep qualified teachers from considering or continuing in special education. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

12.Provisions in IDEA should reduce/streamline IEP and other paperwork requirements of educators and administrators. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

13.Effective, research-validated curriculum and instructional programs with adequate training, materials, and support staff would encourage and retain qualified teachers into the field of special education. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

14.The re-authorization of IDEA 2003 should reduce administrative and legal requirements associated with compliance and monitoring. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

15.Less complicated IEP forms should be developed/updated to avoid extra costs associated with frequent policy/IEP revisions. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

16.Early identification of academic and behavioral problems should be provided by general education resources and adequately funded by the federal government. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

17.IDEA provisions and funding should support training general education teachers to screen and make early referrals for students demonstrating academic and/or behavior problems. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

18.Adding administrative/legal requirements to IDEA,­ including unanticipated ones increases administrative demands from court cases and due process hearings. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

19.IDEA should expand and fund alternative dispute resolution programs to reduce legal proceedings and court cases, helping redirect focus to classroom support and student outcomes. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

20.Lengthy, complicated IEP forms detract from the purpose of IEP meetings. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

21.More specific and consistent eligibility criteria for specific learning disability is likely to help IEP team decision making and may help reduce misidentification of students. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

22.A more comprehensive and cohesive definition specifying the limits of a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) would help contain costs associated with program and service delivery and placement. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

23.Student Study Teams should be mandated and funded through IDEA for the purposes of monitoring and coordinating early intervention provisions for students. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

24.Increases in 'high cost' special education services have caused the greatest increases in special education costs. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

25.Any new IDEA mandates regarding eligibility criteria and/or assessments should be based on compelling scientific research. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

26.A more specific definition of specific learning disability may help reduce disproportionate representation of some minority groups in special education. Strongly Agree Agree Slightly Agree Slightly Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

27.You may complete the survey only once. Do not click the SUBMIT button until you are certain you are satisfied with your responses. I Accept

Thank you for participating in the California IDEA Summit Survey. Your voice counts for the future.