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Brown V. Board of Education
Although more known for its impact on the Civil Rights Movement, Brown V. Board brought up the fact that schools were discriminating against children with disabilities and segregating them from the other children. This showed that there were ways other than racial discrimination for segregation to occur. https://www.wrightslaw.com/law/art/history.spec.ed.law.htm -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
ESEA was enacted in 1965 to limit poverty at the time and fix the inequality low-income children faced in an educational setting. ESEA was made to try to better the education of those disadvantaged income-wise and went on to influence the Education for All Handicapped Children Act.
https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/programs/education/elementary-and-secondary-education-act-of-1965/ -
The Rehabilitation Act
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act states that those with disabilities, physical or mental, shall not be excluded from programs or activities that are federally funded. This prohibits discrimination on the basis of any disability in a public school setting. This section includes the requirement to include a free appropriate public education to each person who qualifies with a disability.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/edlite-FAPE504.html -
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
Under IDEA, this Act prohibits the release of a child's disability information to others without the consent of a parent or a guardian. This protects the privacy of the student and the family and provides them with the same rights as someone without any disability.
https://www.ssdmo.org/step1/laws.html -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
This Act ensured the right to an educated for all persons with a disability. This enforced the idea that children with disabilities should be given the same opportunity to an education and that the government should provide for this education.
https://www.masters-in-special-education.com/lists/5-important-special-education-laws/ -
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act
IDEA was put in place to ensure that children with disabilities would still have access to a free appropriate public education. Through this act, states are guided through how to accommodate and provide special services to those in need of any. It helps meet students' needs while providing them with the least restrictive environment possible.
https://sites.ed.gov/idea/about-idea/
https://www.masters-in-special-education.com/lists/5-important-special-education-laws/ -
No Child Left Behind Act
This Act was passed due to the fact that the progress of students in school in America was decreasing or lower than in other countries and they wanted to increase productivity. In passing this Act, schools were basically required to boost the performance of certain groups of children which included the special needs children. This act was later replaced by ESSA.
https://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/no-child-left-behind-overview-definition-summary.html -
Assistive Technology Act
This Act was meant to ensure that students with disabilities have access to assistive technology from federal grants given to a state. This was used to maximize the ability special needs students had through technology.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/4278 -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
In 2004 IDEA was improved to make sure that students with disabilities are taught by highly educated teachers and given research-based instruction. This should improve their performance and strengthen their academic life by providing them with the best possible resources that they may need to succeed.
https://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/art/ieps.rbi.htm -
Every Student Succeeds Act
This Act amended the No Child Left Behind Act in 2015. It requires that all students be taught to academic standards that will help them succeed in their futures and that there will be action taken in schools where performance levels are low. This Act enforces equal opportunity for all students despite disabilities.
https://www.ed.gov/essa