The first in a series of public meetings with special education experts, educators, parents and advocates is being held today in Salt Lake City by the U.S. Department of Education and hosted by Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Robert Pasternack.

The seven regional public forums allow the department to gather information on the current status and needs of special education across the country in connection with the upcoming reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Passed in 1975 to offer America's 6 million students with disabilities a "free, appropriate public education," IDEA is due for reauthorization next year in Congress. President Bush and U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige have pledged to use the upcoming reauthorization as an opportunity to focus on giving students with disabilities access to a quality education and leaving no child behind.

In testimony last week before Congress, Paige declared that President Bush and he are "determined to ensure that every child gets a sound education."

"All parents have the right to expect high standards in educating their children," Paige told lawmakers. "We can accept no less. This also means excuses are not good enough: We need results. It means raising average performance is not enough: We need to look at all children to ensure that they are learning."

In a further effort to improve IDEA, President Bush has created the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education to study federal, state and local special education programs. The commission, chaired by former Iowa governor Terry Branstad, will deliver recommendations to the president no later than April 30, 2002.

To provide the public with opportunities to offer comments, the department's Office of Special Education Programs has scheduled the following forums

• Salt Lake City, Utah, Oct. 10;
• Mobile, Ala., Oct. 16 and 19;
• Minneapolis, Minn., Oct. 23;
• Providence, R.I., Nov. 5;
• Reno, Nev., Nov. 15;
• Washington, D.C., Dec. 6; and
• San Antonio, Texas, Dec. 19.

"We have committed to get the input of educators, parents, disability advocates and others to improve the educational opportunities of students with special needs," Pasternack said.

The forums in Mobile, Reno and San Antonio will be held in conjunction with the Education Department's regional Improving America's Schools Conferences where department officials annually meet with local and state educators to discuss federal education programs.

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NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information on the forums, visit the Office of Special Education Program's Web site at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/. Below is a complete list of the forums.

OCT. 10 SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
Location: Salt Lake City Marriott City Center
220 South State Street
Salt Lake City, Utah
Phone: 801-961-8700
Times: 1:30-4:30 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Host: Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center (RRC)

OCT. 16 & 19 MOBILE, ALA.
Oct. 16
Location: Mobile Convention Center, Room 204A
One South Water Street
Mobile, AL
Phone: 334-208-2100
Times: 1:30-4:30 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Oct. 19
Location: IAS Conference
Mobile Convention Center, Room 204A
One South Water Street
Mobile, Ala.
Phone: 334-208-2100
Time: 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Host: Southeast RRC

OCT. 23 MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.
Location: PACER Center
8161 Normandale Boulevard
Bloomington, Minn.
Phone: 952-838-9000
Times: 1:30-4:30 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Host: Great Lakes Area RRC, PACER Center

NOV. 5 PROVIDENCE, R.I.
Location: Sheraton Providence Airport Hotel
1850 Post Road
Warwick, R.I.
Phone: 401-824-0614
Times: 1:30-4:30 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Host: Northeast RRC

NOV. 15 RENO, NEV.
Location: IAS Conference
John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel
1100 Nugget Avenue, Pavilion B
Sparks, Nev.
Phone: 778-356-3300
Times: 9:30-11:30 a.m., 1:30-4:30 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Host: Western RRC

DEC. 6 WASHINGTON, D.C.
Location: American Geophysical Union Building
2000 Florida Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC
Phone: 202-884-8215
Times: 1:30-4:30 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Host: Mid-South RRC and Federal Resource Center

DEC. 19 SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Location: IAS Conference
San Antonio Convention Center, Room 214B
200 East Market
San Antonio, Texas
Phone: 210-207-8500
Times: 9:30-11:30 a.m., 1:30-4:30 p.m., and 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Host: Southeast RRC

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