Education of the Handicapped Amendments of 1986

Education of the Handicapped Amendments of 1986 - Amends the Education of the Handicapped Act (the Act) to revise the definition of "handicapped children" to include, for children aged three through five, children who are developmentally delayed.

Revises an age category limitation on the percentage of handicapped children who may be counted for purposes of determining a State's allotment. Provides that the age category for such purposes must be the age category which the State actually serves.

Allows specified funds to be used for certain administrative costs of monitoring and complaint investigation.

Eliminates an exemption from the requirement that all States provide special education services for handicapped children aged three to five in order to be eligible for assistance under the Act. (Gives States whose State laws had qualified them for such exemption three years to comply with this requirement.) Provides that this amendment will not apply if appropriations do not reach a certain level.

Extends through FY 1989 the authorization of appropriations to carry out evaluation provisions under the Act.

Establishes a new program for early intervention for handicapped infants from birth through age two. Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to make grants to States to carry out such program. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1987 through 1989 for such program.

Sets forth provisions for State allotments and eligibility under the early intervention program.

Requires assisted States to have, beginning three years after the enactment of this Act: (1) a comprehensive early childhood plan for services to handicapped children from birth through age five which addresses service delivery to all handicapped infants and includes the transition to school; and (2) a statewide comprehensive system of early intervention services for all handicapped infants from birth through age two.

Directs the State Governor to appoint, or designate an existing agency as, an Early Intervention Council. Sets forth Council responsibilities including annual reports to the Governor and the Secretary on the status of early intervention programs within the State. Directs the Governor to establish or designate a State agency to administer the early intervention program.

Sets forth early intervention program components. Requires the State program to serve all handicapped infants from birth through age two. Requires that each handicapped infant have: (1) a multidisciplinary assessment of individual needs and required services; (2) a written individualized program plan including special education, social services, health services, and parent and family support services; and (3) free access to all services described in the plan. Requires individualized programs to be reviewed annually and to include provisions supporting the transition to services under provisions for the education of all handicapped children.

Requires State agencies receiving assistance under the program for early intervention for handicapped infants to establish procedural safeguards for provision of services for handicapped infants and their parents or guardians. Sets forth guidelines for such procedures.

Sets forth requirements for State applications for early intervention program assistance.

Revises provisions for planning, development, and implementation grants.

Provides that nothing under such early intervention program provisions shall be construed to: (1) permit a State to reduce benefits or alter eligibility under Medicaid for handicapped infants; or (2) encourage benefit reduction under other public or private insurance.

Makes specified provisions of the Act applicable to the early intervention program.

Directs the Comptroller General to: (1) study early intervention program services; and (2) report on such study to the Congress within 18 months after enactment of this Act.

Specifies physical education as among the services offered by regional resource centers for the handicapped and by programs for deaf-blind children and youth.

Makes regional resource centers responsible for gathering and disseminating information to State educational agencies on successful activities relating to transitional services for handicapped youth.

Authorizes the Secretary to arrange by contract, grant, or cooperative agreement with appropriate entities for early intervention and preschool services for handicapped children, including: (1) programs of experimental early intervention for traditionally underserved handicapped infants and their families; (2) preservice and inservice training in early intervention practices for volunteers, paraprofessionals, and professionals; and (3) research on the development of handicapped children.

Directs the Secretary to make additional grants to address the needs of: (1) native Hawaiian children with handicaps; and (2) native American children with handicaps.

Reserves specified funds for: (1) training and technical assistance for States preparing to receive or receiving grants under the early intervention program; and (2) research on the development of handicapped children, including studies of the effectiveness of various service delivery approaches and of early intervention programs.

Revises provisions for research, innovation, training, and dissemination activities to include references to the needs of severely handicapped native American, including native Hawaiian and other native Pacific Basin, children and youth.

Adds specifically designed physical education and therapeutic recreation programs to increase the potential of handicapped youths for community participation to those projects which may be assisted by grants or contracts under provisions for secondary education and transitional services for handicapped youth. Requires that such projects be coordinated with other State agencies and provide individual transition plans for students served.

Extends through FY 1989 the authorization of appropriations under various provisions for centers and services to meet special needs of the handicapped.

Revises provisions for grants for personnel training to direct the Secretary to give priority to applications from States where shortages exist.

Revises provisions for grants for parent training and information programs to require that additional grants be made to nonprofit agencies serving the needs of native Americans, including native Hawaiians.

Directs the Secretary to give priority to parent training and information grants which involve unserved geographic areas.

Permits staff personnel of parent training and information programs to assist parents directly in activities under procedural safeguards provisions of the Act.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants for a new program of special training demonstration projects.

Provides that grants for traineeships shall be made to each State educational agency and shall be for training personnel serving handicapped children and supervisors of such personnel.

Includes physical education among the fields for which grants or contracts to improve the recruiting of educational personnel for handicapped children and youth are made.

Provides that the national clearinghouse on postsecondary education for the handicapped shall also provide information on transitional services and programs.

Extends through FY 1989 the authorization of appropriations for various programs under provisions for training personnel for education of the handicapped. Directs the Secretary to reserve 65 percent of such funds for such training in specified fields.

Requires that at least five percent of funds for research, surveys, and demonstration projects to assist appropriate personnel and other persons in the education of handicapped children and youth be used to address the needs of underserved secondary school-aged handicapped youth. Provides for an additional grant, contract, or cooperative agreement for the development of program models and demonstrations for native Hawaiian handicapped children and youth.

Extends through FY 1989 the authorization of appropriations for various programs under provisions for research in education of the handicapped.

Revises provisions for instructional media for the handicapped to add references to theater and to educational material and technology.

Directs the Secretary to make grants to or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with the National Theater of the Deaf to provide theatrical experiences for specified purposes.

Extends through FY 1989 the authorization of appropriations for various programs under provisions for instructional media for the handicapped.

Repeals provisions for the National Advisory Committee on Handicapped Children and Youth.