The goal of special education is to provide all students with and equal education. (Edwards, "Special Education") In 1997 Congress revised the Individuals with Disabilities Act to ensure that all students with a disability are given equal access to education. (Edwards, "Special Education") School districts must provide all children with disabilities a "free education" that meets their individual needs. (Edwards, "Special Education") "Special education programs" aim to provide high-quality education to students with mental, physical or …showed first 75 words of 1218 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1218 total…and alcohol in the womb all contribute. The city's lead poisoning rates also play a key role. Lead exposure can lead to disabilities, behavior problems, and in severe cases, mental retardation. "We are loosing generation after generation of children's potential to lead poisoning" says Judy Riehl, executive director of St. Louis lead Prevention Coalition, lead poisoning can account for many of the problems children experience in schools" (Wagman, "Districts adapt to rise in special education")