No Child Left Behind, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Functional Curricula: A Conflict of Interest?

Is a functional curriculum aligned with the federal education policies of and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004)? This article analyzes the alignment, or lack thereof, between this approach to educating secondary students with mild mental impairment and the two main federal education laws governing their education. It explores the relationship across four areas: general education curriculum and setting, accountability, highly qualified teachers, and scientifically-based research. The analysis suggests that there may be a conflict of interest between the functional curriculum model and federal legislation.