autism

In his early years, it was difficult to find decent daycare for Alex. Before he was properly diagnosed with Autism, daycare centers and preschools would take him for a day, maybe a week before they would call my daughter and advise her that they couldn't handle him. Although they often were set up for disabled kids in wheel chairs or for those who were blind, they couldn't provide the one on one care that Alex so desperately needed.

Several years ago the IDEA Act was reauthorized by the House and Senate and signed into law. It's goals were laudable:

America's schools educate over 6 million children with disabilities. In the past, those students were too often just shuffled through the system with little expectation that they could make significant progress or succeed like their fellow classmates. Children with disabilities deserve high hopes, high expectations, and extra help.

In the bill I sign today, we're raising expectations for the students. We're giving schools and parents the tools they need to meet them...this law ensures that students with disabilities will have special education teachers with the skills and training to teach special education and their subject area.