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Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia (1972)
This case was brought against the District of Columbia because many students were being identified as having behavioral problems, and emotionally disturbed.
This important court ruling which lead to Section 504 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
The court emphasized that whether it was due to funding or poor administration, the school must find a way to provide a fair and equal education to all students. -
Smith v. Robinson (1984)
A superintendent of schools in Cumberland, RI made a decision to discontinue funding the education for a child with cerebral palsy and other handicaps. An action was filed in Federal district Court based on the law on the Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA) .
The District Court found the child was owed the right to an appropriate education to be paid for by the school committee. -
School Committee of the Town of Burlington v. Massachusetts Department of Education (1984)
This ruling is based on the Education for all Handicap Children Act (EAHCA; now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA]). A first grader was not receiving the needs to handle his handicap as outlined in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) the state of Massachusetts outlined for him.
The judge provided his opinion that the state should have provided an appropriate IEP for the student. -
References:
Cheatham, A. (2011, February 1). Significant Court Cases in Special Education (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. [Presentation slides]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/AngieCheatham/court-cases-6780307
Henley, M., Ramsey, R. S., & Algozzine, R. (2009). Characteristics of and strategies for teaching students with mild disabilities. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson