When discussing the IDEA and its impact on children with disabilities, one cannot overlook the influence on marginalized families who have children that require special education. It is a commonly accepted fact that children of color are overrepresented in the special education population, which may be the cause of misidentification and implicit biases. As stated by the Learning Disabilities Association of America, “Disproportionality in special education placement and school discipline are issues that need to be addressed by educators and policymakers, as students of color—especially students of color with disabilities—are disproportionately subjected to exclusionary discipline and may more often be placed in segregated settings that limit their access to a rich, rigorous education,” (2020). Educators and social workers need to be aware of these differences, especially when working in racially diverse and lower-income neighborhoods, so they can provide adequate care to these children and their families.

What Can Be Done To Help?

One of the biggest challenges across all educational laws is securing adequate funding. This is no different for the IDEA, which specifically has a sub-section titled “National Activities to Improve Education of Children with Disabilities” (Part D) that provides funding to programs that are vital for the development of special education services. Unfortunately, many people don’t know about this section of the IDEA and its importance. According to Yell, M. L., & Bradley, M. R. (2024), “The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has determined that Part D programs account for less than 1.7% of the national expenditure to educate students with disabilities,” which means they aren’t receiving enough funding despite their crucial role in evaluating and implementing effective practices in educating all children with disabilities. In order to effectively provide education to all children with disabilities, there should be more focus on improving funding under Part D of the IDEA. If policymakers required more funding for Part D, it could enhance training among educators, promote more research on inclusive teaching methods, and even bridge gaps between schools and families. Another positive change that could be made to the IDEA is focusing on the definition of FAPE. The definition has not been changed since 1975, when it was part of the EHA. Previously, some courts have used this lack of change in definition to justify providing a lower standard of education to children with disabilities. (Yell, M. L., & Bradley, M. R., 2024). If Congress revised the definition to align more with recent court rulings, it could reduce inconsistencies and better protect students’ rights.