History of Special Education

Brown v. Board of Education

1954

Affirmed the rights of minority students in schools

Public Law 88-164

1963

Authorized funds for training professionals to work with students with disabilities and research

Handicapped Children’s Early Education Assistance Act

1968

Set up 20 programs to demonstrate how early intervention could improve lives of students with disabilities

PARC v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

1972

All children have a right to FAPE

Mills v. Board of Education

1972

Lack of funds is not an excuse for not providing FAPE to students with disabilities

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

1973

Bridge between regular and special education, providing accommodations as needed

Public Law 94-142

1975

All children with disabilities have access to free, appropriate public education through six key principles.

Larry P. v. Riles

1979

Students shouldn't be labelled handicapped without testing that takes into account student's cultural and linguistic background

Jose P. v. Ambach

1979

Testing and interventions for students with disabilities who are bilingual should be dual-language

Board of Education v. Rowley

1982

Students with disabilities have right to appropriate, not optimal free, public education

Public Law 99-457

1986

Provided funding for early childhood education from birth on

Javit's Act

1988

Provided money in support of research on needs of academically gifted students

Polk v. Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16

1988

Students with disabilities have right to free public education that is more than de minimus, even if not optimal

Americans with Disabilities Act

1990

Extends civil rights to persons with disabilities

Greer v. Rome City School District

1991

Prioritized inclusion in regular classroom in regards to a student with Down's Syndrome

Oberti v. Board of Education of the Borough of Clementon School District

1993

School must demonstrate that student would not benefit from inclusion in general classroom due to severity of disability

No Child Left Behind Act

2001

100% proficiency of all students expected in public schools

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

2004

Improved previous legislation through quality of personnel, IEP standards, and transition planning

Henrico County School Board v. R.T.

2006

Paid family for private school costs because public school knowingly and repeatedly failed to provide FAPE

L.I. v. Maine School Administrative District

2007

Student should still receive specialized education even though performing well academically for other needs

Winkleman v. Parma City School District

2007

Parent participation is crucial

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

2009

Funding given to early interventions as part of recovery from economic recession

Drobnicki v. Poway United School District

2009

Must schedule IEP meeting for time and day parent can attend