12. Adds personnel qualifications to state eligibility requirements.
The SEA has established and maintains qualifications to ensure that personnel necessary to carry out Part B are appropriately and adequately prepared and trained, including that those personnel have the content knowledge and skills to serve children with disabilities. [612(a)(14)(A) of IDEA]

1. IDEA 1997 talks about the “appropriate and adequate preparation of personnel”. IDEA 2004 adds that these appropriately prepared and trained personnel must have the “content knowledge and skills to serve students with disabilities”. In your view, what is the importance of this additional emphasis on content knowledge and skills?

1. What implications might these provisions have for the preparation of Special Education teachers in subject matter areas?



2. What implications might these provisions have for the preparation of General Education teachers in differential instructional techniques?



3. What implications might these provisions have for the preparation of related service providers in integrating service delivery with academic content and student standards?
   
   
   
   These questions were developed by the following stakeholders working together:
   
   
   Role: National Researcher
   Location: Florida
   
   Role: Superintendent
   Location: Illinois
   
   Role: Special Education Teacher
   Location: Pennsylvania
   
   Role: School Division–National Related Service Provider organization
   Location: Maryland
   
   Role: Local Special Education Director
   Location: Connecticut
   
   Role: National Technical Assistance Provider
   Location: California
   
   Role: National Technical Assistance Provider
   Location: Colorado
   
   Role: Government Relations–National Related Service Provider organization
   Location: Maryland