H-3812.1  _______________________________________________

                     HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 4020

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Representatives Wensman, Quall, Cox, Keiser, Talcott, Rockefeller, Thomas, Haigh, Carlson, Schindler, D. Schmidt, Sump, Mulliken, Benson, Barlean, H. Sommers, Pennington, Lisk, Dunn, Delvin, McDonald, Schual‑Berke, O'Brien and Esser

Read first time 01/18/2000.  Referred to Committee on Education.

Requesting parental involvement with the education of special education students.

    TO THE HONORABLE WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

    We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

    WHEREAS, The Washington State Constitution identifies as the paramount duty of the state to provide for the education of all our children; and

    WHEREAS, Parents of special education students have the best understanding of what an education plan can do to help their child succeed; and

    WHEREAS, The state of Washington is equally committed to giving public school educators the tools and time they need to best meet the educational needs of their students; and

    WHEREAS, Many educators, particularly those who teach special education classes, find that the amount of federally required paperwork dramatically reduces both the quantity and quality of time they can devote to their students and their profession; and

    WHEREAS, The state of Washington has made considerable progress toward creating a system of academic accountability and student achievement where the progress of all students will be assessed rendering federally required paperwork unnecessary;

    NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that Congress pass and the President approve legislation which would provide parents of special education students the opportunity to work with their child's educator to determine the most appropriate amount and the most appropriate type of paperwork which will help their child achieve their educational goals without diminishing the level or quality of education provided to the student and which will continue to protect the rights of students guaranteed under the individuals with disabilities education act.  This will serve to limit the amount of paperwork to that which is necessary and beneficial to the individual student.

    BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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