 
         CHAPTER 33--EDUCATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
 
SUBCHAPTER IV--NATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH 
                              DISABILITIES
 
     Part B--Coordinated Research, Personnel Preparation, Technical 
          Assistance, Support, and Dissemination of Information
 
 subpart 1--improving early intervention, educational, and transitional 
services and results for children with disabilities through coordinated 
                   research and personnel preparation
 
Sec. 1471. Findings and purpose


(a) Findings

    The Congress finds the following:
        (1) The Federal Government has an ongoing obligation to support 
    programs, projects, and activities that contribute to positive 
    results for children with disabilities, enabling them--
            (A) to meet their early intervention, educational, and 
        transitional goals and, to the maximum extent possible, 
        educational standards that have been established for all 
        children; and
            (B) to acquire the skills that will empower them to lead 
        productive and independent adult lives.

        (2)(A) As a result of more than 20 years of Federal support for 
    research, demonstration projects, and personnel preparation, there 
    is an important knowledge base for improving results for children 
    with disabilities.
        (B) Such knowledge should be used by States and local 
    educational agencies to design and implement state-of-the-art 
    educational systems that consider the needs of, and include, 
    children with disabilities, especially in environments in which they 
    can learn along with their peers and achieve results measured by the 
    same standards as the results of their peers.
        (3)(A) Continued Federal support is essential for the 
    development and maintenance of a coordinated and high-quality 
    program of research, demonstration projects, dissemination of 
    information, and personnel preparation.
        (B) Such support--
            (i) enables State educational agencies and local educational 
        agencies to improve their educational systems and results for 
        children with disabilities;
            (ii) enables State and local agencies to improve early 
        intervention services and results for infants and toddlers with 
        disabilities and their families; and
            (iii) enhances the opportunities for general and special 
        education personnel, related services personnel, parents, and 
        paraprofessionals to participate in pre-service and in-service 
        training, to collaborate, and to improve results for children 
        with disabilities and their families.

        (4) The Federal Government plays a critical role in facilitating 
    the availability of an adequate number of qualified personnel--
            (A) to serve effectively the over 5,000,000 children with 
        disabilities;
            (B) to assume leadership positions in administrative and 
        direct-service capacities related to teacher training and 
        research concerning the provision of early intervention 
        services, special education, and related services; and
            (C) to work with children with low-incidence disabilities 
        and their families.

        (5) The Federal Government performs the role described in 
    paragraph (4)--
            (A) by supporting models of personnel development that 
        reflect successful practice, including strategies for 
        recruiting, preparing, and retaining personnel;
            (B) by promoting the coordination and integration of--
                (i) personnel-development activities for teachers of 
            children with disabilities; and
                (ii) other personnel-development activities supported 
            under Federal law, including this subpart;

            (C) by supporting the development and dissemination of 
        information about teaching standards; and
            (D) by promoting the coordination and integration of 
        personnel-development activities through linkage with systemic-
        change activities within States and nationally.

(b) Purpose

    The purpose of this subpart is to provide Federal funding for 
coordinated research, demonstration projects, outreach, and personnel-
preparation activities that--
        (1) are described in sections 1472 through 1474 of this title;
        (2) are linked with, and promote, systemic change; and
        (3) improve early intervention, educational, and transitional 
    results for children with disabilities.

(Pub. L. 91-230, title VI, Sec. 671, as added Pub. L. 105-17, title I, 
Sec. 101, June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 135.)


                            Prior Provisions

    A prior section 1471, Pub. L. 91-230, title VI, Sec. 671, as added 
Pub. L. 99-457, title I, Sec. 101(a), Oct. 8, 1986, 100 Stat. 1145; 
amended Pub. L. 100-630, title I, Sec. 108(a), Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 
3301; Pub. L. 101-476, title IX, Sec. 901(b)(158)-(161), Oct. 30, 1990, 
104 Stat. 1149; Pub. L. 102-119, Secs. 11, 25(a)(16), (b), Oct. 7, 1991, 
105 Stat. 595, 606, 607, related to congressional findings and policy 
with regard to early intervention services for infants and toddlers with 
disabilities and their families, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105-17, 
title II, Sec. 203(b), June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 157, effective July 1, 
1998.
