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Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) (Public Law 89-10)
The ESEA helps low income families gain access to quality education programs. It also gives them access to free and reduced lunches and additional teachers to support students from disadvantaged communities. I chose this legislation because it advocates for students who may need extra support to get a good education. The bill attempted to bridge the achievement gap by providing equal education opportunities. It has been reauthorized every few years since it was signed into law. -
Vocational Rehabilitation Act (VRA) (Public Law 93-112, Section 504)
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 defined 'handicapped person' and 'appropriate education'. It aimed to prohibit discrimination on individuals who have disabilities in federally funded programs. Future amendments to the act provided independent living services to people with disabilities, and provided supportive and equal employment opportunities. I chose this act because it was very beneficial for educational, financial, and civil rights for people with disabilities. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) (Public Law 94-142, Part B)
About 15 years before the important IDEA (see 1990 on this timeline), this law was established, which would eventually become the IDEA. The EAHCA was also know as the mainstreaming law because it required states to provide free and appropriate public education for children with disabilities, established the use of IEPs, and brought forth the idea that children with disabilities should be educated in the least restrictive environment. This law was an important foundation for inclusive education. -
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (Public Law 101-336)
This law prohibits discrimination against individuals based on disability. This means that those who have disabilities have the right to equal opportunities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, government services, and more. It also defined disability to include those who have AIDS. This law is very important for the civil rights of those who have disabilities, and it greatly improves their opportunities and quality of life. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Public Law 101-476)
This might be the most important law that was established up to this date to improve the quality of education for individuals with disabilities. It is a replacement of the EAHCA, but it accomplishes more. This law developed "people first" language to refer to people who have disabilities, included social work, assistive technology, and rehabilitation services to special education services, and required transitional education programs for students with disabilities to transition to employment. -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
While this act is controversial and definitely has it's pros and cons, it was still a major movement that attempted to make states and school districts more accountable for education performance of it's students, including those from minority populations and those with disabilities. It offered more school choice for students enrolled in under-performing schools, and advocated for highly qualified teachers. The act has been rewritten currently by President Obama as the Every Student Succeeds Act. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) (Public Law 108-446)
This act is a re-authorization of the IDEA, so it has similarities but some improvements were made. The RTI (response to intervention) model was introduced to determine if a child has a learning disability. A child no longer needs to have a large difference in achievement and ability to qualify. Standards for special education licensure were raised, and so were federal funds to provide early intervention services. It also required that students with disabilities receive evidence-based practices.
