As a parent to a special needs child in Virginia, I oppose all of these proposed changes.  Virginia's system for getting a child into the special ed system, getting services, and getting ANYTHING APPROPRIATE done for them is already too restrictive and parent-adverse. It is clearly structured to "beat the parent down" and not only deny all services the school possibly can, but to encourage delay tactics by the schools.  I have made the difficult decision to move out of state ONLY because of Virginia's horrible compliance - or lack thereof - of the IDEA.

These laws needs to go in the reverse direction.  Tactics such as allowing school staff to use painful restraint holds on young children for any reason needs to be against the law (as it is in other states), not encouraged as they currently are.

These proposed changes will only sink Virginia's education system further into the draconian and archaic situation it is in currently.