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First Advocacy Groups
The first advocacy groups to fight for quality special education were made up of parents whose children were marginalized. -
President's Panel on Mental Retardation
President John F. Kennedy created the President’s Panel on Mental Retardation. The panel’s recommendations included federal aid to states. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which provided funding for primary education, and is seen by advocacy groups as expanding access to public education for children with disabilities. -
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973
guaranteed civil rights to all disabled people and required accommodations for disabled students in schools. -
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975
guaranteed and enforced the right of children with disabilities to receive a free, appropriate education with the dual purpose of providing unique educational opportunities suited to the needs of disabled students and delivering it in the “least restrictive environment” possible. -
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
The EHA was reformulated as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA elaborated on the inclusion of children with disabilities into regular classes and also focused on the rights of parents to be involved in the education decisions affecting their children. IDEA required that an Individualized Education Program (IEP) be designed with parental approval to meet the needs of every child with a disability. -
The Americans with Disabilities Act
This ensured the equal treatment and equal access of people with disabilities to employment opportunities and to public accommodations. The ADA was intended to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, services rendered by state and local governments, places of public accommodation, transportation, and telecommunications services. -
IDEA Revolutionizes the Industry
In addition to upholding the rights outlined in previous legislation. The act emphasized academic outcomes for students with disabilities. This involved raising expectations for students, supporting students who follow the general curriculum, supporting parents, and helping states determine appropriate outcomes. With the focus on outcomes, school-to-work transition planning gained new importance. -
Special Education Teaching Today
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) provided further accountability to schools and added technology assistance and loan programs to help schools acquire needed special education resources. -
Response to Intervention
Response to Intervention (RTI) also began because of the changes in the 2004 law. These interventions, which are started in general education before students are given special education services, are called “multitiered systems of support” (MTSS) in ESSA. -
Every Student Succeeds
It remains to be seen if IDEA and ESSA can coexist in an era of deregulation, school vouchers, and local control. We can only hope that the gains we have made for students with disabilities will continue long into our nation’s future.
