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Residential School Opens
The Connecticut Asylum opened in 1817 for children that were deaf. In Hartford, principal Thomas H. Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc was the head teacher opened the doors for children with deafness. The school was not funded by the state when first opened but later was state-supported. This was the beginning of opening doors for special education. -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
In 1866, the Senate and House of Representative passed the law of The Civil Rights Act of 1866. Civil Right Act of 1866 is that any citizen has the same rights as a white citizen. Everyone can enforce contracts, sue and be sued, and have equality. The act began to open doors for everyone towards making it better for all. -
Associations
In1876 the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) was founded. AAIDD was established to provide global leadership in the field of I&D. This allowed professionals to promote policies, research, and effective practices for people with I&D. Today there are over 5,000 members in the U.S. and 55 countries worldwide advocating quality of life and rights for individuals with I&D. -
Plessy V. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court issued in 1896. It upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation laws for public facilities to be "separate but equal". This U.S. Supreme Court case changed many things for the future of many but especially people that were different in skin color and abilities. -
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
The CEC provides support, continuing education, and resources for teachers and families of students in special and gifted education programs. CEC establishes high expectations for implementing evidence-based instructional that address the unique learning needs of exceptional children and youth. CEC advocates for the population of the exceptional need by promoting legislative initiatives to improve professional standards and best teaching practices. (https://www.cec.sped.org) -
Brown V. Board of Education
Linda Brown was a nine-year-old that was denied registration under the so-called "separate but equal " doctrine, in an all-white school in Topeka, Kansas four blocks from her house. Her dad Rev. Oliver Brown would walk her across town across railroad tracks and take a bus to school. The U.S. Supreme Court delivered the unanimous ruling in the case Brown v. Board of Education state-sanctioned segregation of public school was a violation of the 14th amendment and was unconstitutional. -
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Section 504
Section 504 is a part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that prohibits discrimination based on disability. Section 504 is an anti-discrimination, civil rights statute that requires the needs of students with disabilities to be met as adequately as the needs of the non-disabled are met. To be protected under Section 504, a student must be determined to: have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. -
Public Law No,94-142
P.L. 94-142 guaranteed a free appropriate public education(FAPE) to each child with a disability. This law had a dramatic and positive impact on millions of children with disabilities in every state and each local community across the country. P.L.94-142 would improve how children with disabilities were identified and educated and provide due process protection for children and families. -
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. To be protected by the ADA, one must have a disability, which is defined by the ADA as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. -
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
In 1972, legislation introduced in Congress after several “landmark court cases establishing in law the right to education for all handicapped children.” In 1975, Congress enacted Public Law 94-142 known as EAHCA of 1975 was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990. IDEA first came into being on October 30, 1990, when the "Education of All Handicapped Children Act" then was renamed "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act." -
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which passed by Congress in 2001 and was signed into law by President George W. Bush on Jan. 8, 2002. NCLB affects what students are taught, the tests they take, the training of their teachers and the way money is spent on education this law makes teacher and schools accountable. If the parents are not satistisfied with the education their child is receiving they may be eligible to move to a better school or could receive free tutoring.
