E.D. Weighs Special-Education, Chapter 1 Rule Changes

By Debra Viadero

WASHINGTON--Special educators and regular educators participating in the federal Chapter 1 program would be able to collaborate in serving disabled and disadvantaged students, under two sots of pending rule changes currently under consideration by the Education Department.

The first proposed change would alter the "nonsupplanting" prohibition in federal special-education law. Under that provision, schools must meet a two-prong test for ensuring they do not use federal special-education funds to replace state funds already targeted for those services.

Under the first part of that test, state funding for special-education must not have decreased from year to year, either on an overall level or on a per-child basis. The second part of the test prohibits schools from using federal money for "particular costs," such as an individual teacher's salary, that were previously borne by...