The President Commission on Excellence in Special Education (PCESE)

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The President Commission on Excellence in Special Education (PCESE)

The government’s primarily goal is to close the achievement gap between special education students and general education students. In October of 2001, before the No Child Left Behind was put into action, President Bush appointed a commission called The Presidents Commission on Excellence in Special Education (PCESE). The purpose of this commission was to bring together 100 experts to evaluate the special education system. In conclusion, the commission could not agree more with President Bush that the special education system needed radical reform (Kauffman, 2004 p. 1). One of the main changes that the commission wanted to see was the achievement gap between special education students and general education students. The PCESE states, “The ultimate test of the value of special education is that, once identified, children close the achievement gap with their peers” (Kauffman, 2004 p. 4). I’m assuming the word peer means the same age child in general education. I don’t see how they expect students with a mental disability to be able to learn just has fast as general education students. I mean that’s what closing the gap means. “The gap to which the PCESE refers is simply not closable for reasons obvious to anyone with a rudimentary understanding of statistics and disability” (Kauffman, 2003 p. 3).

Kauffman brings up an excellent point, why isn’t the government comparing children that receive special education to those children who don’t receive special education. Wouldn’t it make sense to compare two things that are similar instead of trying to compare two things that are no way alike? Why don’t we focus on making special education as good as it can be? We should work to make sure students with disabilities learn everything they can at their own speed in special education (Kauffman, 2003 p. 3). Not scraping the whole system. Basically general education students are the wrong comparison to determine if the special education system is working or not. “The PCESE asked the wrong question and suggested dedicating ourselves to closing the wrong gap. Their approach is about as helpful as dedicating ourselves to closing the gap between 5 and 7” (Kauffman, 2003 p. 3).

Now after the PCESE made its report and after President Bush put NCLB into action three years ago, the nation starts to ask if this law is truly helping our children with disabilities. Is this new law really helping our students exceed expectations?

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