IDEA Rules May Not Head Off Amendments

By Joetta L. Sack

Washington

The long-awaited final rules implementing the current version of the nation's main special education law have brought some relief to school officials and advocacy groups, but Republicans have yet to rule out the possibility of amending the law.

New regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, released March 12, will give schools more leeway in educating students with disabilities, representatives of several education groups agreed last week as they read over the 200-page document.

"They were a vast improvement over the proposed regulations," said Diane Schust, a lobbyist for the National Education Association, the 2.4...