American School for the Deaf

American School for the Deaf

Apr 20, 1817

Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc founded the oldest permanent school for the deaf population in the United States in West Hartford. The impetus for the creation of this school was the fact of Alice Cogswell diagnosed during her childhood.
Original name of the school: The Connecticut Asylum (at Hartford). http://www.ctmq.org/oldest-school-etc-for-deaf-in-us/

NARC

Oct 20, 1950

The National Association for Retarded Citizens founded as the National Association of Parents and Friends of Mentally Retarded Children. The AAMD provided in their program for some parent sessions, and following these sessions. Parents got together and appointed a steering committee of the parent groups. The meeting promotes the welfare of mentally disabled persons of all ages and prevention. NARC helps with litigation and seeing that critical precedents through the judicial process are met.

Brown v. Board of Education

1954

It is now acknowledged as one of the most significant Supreme Court decisions of the 20th century, unanimously held that the racial segregation of children in public schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. It put the Constitution on the side of racial equality and galvanized the nascent civil rights movement into a full revolution.
https://www.thirteen.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_brown.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTGHLdr-iak

Public Law 93-112

1973

Rehabilitation Act of 1973 It is the first major legislative act to protect the civil rights of individuals with disabilities. Purpose was to prevent discrimination in a variety of public settings (employment, transportation and education). This law is limited to programs (not buildings) that receive federal funding. No one shall be excluded from participation, denied benefits, or subject to discrimination.
https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/history/35th/thelaw/rehab_act-1973.html

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act - https://www.dol.gov/oasam/regs/statutes/sec504.htm

Sep 26, 1973

This act allows protection from discrimination against special needs and disabilities. This law is considered the first law put in place giving protection to students with special needs. This law includes FAPE and LRE. A child needs to receive regular or special education and related aids and services designed to meet the student’s individual educational needs as adequately as the needs of non disabled met.

The Vocational Education Act

1984

This legislation provided more flexibility in how funds were spent, required more contextual-learning integration, and enhanced accountability for student achievement. It also provided equal access to the full range of vocational educational programs for students with disabilities.
https://www.naset.org/perkinsvocational2.0.html

ADA

Jul 26, 1990

This act guarantees that people with special needs have the same rights as others in all places in school and work. This act also ruled that people with special needs would not be discriminated against in the school, workforce, or everyday society such as public transportation. The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. https://adata.org/learn-about-ada

Public Law 102-119

1991

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1991 was signed into law. This law reauthorized the Part H program and amended definition of children with disabilities to allow states to provide services to 3-5 year olds who are experiencing developmental delays. The law required states to plan for transition of children to preschool programs. It added vision services, assistive technology and services, and transportation to the definition of early intervention services.

NCLB

2001

The NCLB law significantly increased the federal role in holding schools responsible for the academic progress of all students and ensuring that states and schools boost the performance of certain groups of students including ELL, students in special education, and others. Students with special needs are allowed to receive accommodations when it comes assessments. https://www.thirteen.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_brown.html

IDEA Reauthorized

Dec 3, 2004

The changes included the IEP, due process, and student discipline. The primary purpose was to keep unchanged the guarantee a free, appropriate public education to every child with a disability. It increases the amount of many new provisions. The changes improved educational outcomes for students with disabilities and their families. https://www.nsba.org/sites/default/files/reports/Issue%20Brief-Individuals%20with%20Disabilities%20Education%20Act.pdf