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Brown v. Board of Education
Supreme Court issued a landmark civil rights decision in Brown v. Board of Education.
In Brown, school children from four states argued that segregated public schools were inherently unequal and deprived them of equal protection of the laws. The Supreme Court found that African-American children had the right to equal educational opportunities and that segregated schools “have no place in the field of public education.” -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
Congress enacted the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to address the inequality of educational opportunity for underprivileged children. This landmark legislation provided resources to help ensure that disadvantaged students had access to quality education.
In 1966, Congress amended the ESEA to establish a grant program to help states in the “initiation, expansion, and improvement of programs and projects . . . for the education of handicapped children.” -
Education of the Handicapped Act
Expanded IDEA to include infants and toddlers with disabilities. Later amended in 1986 -
PARC and Mills Court Cases
PARC dealt with the exclusion of children with mental retardation from public schools. It was agreed that educational placement decisions must include a process of parental participation and a means to resolve disputes. Mills involved the practice of suspending, expelling and excluding children with disabilities from the District of Columbia public schools. Legislation was introduced establishing in law the right to education for all handicapped children. -
Rehabilitation Act
Civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities by entities that receive federal funds and ensures that a child with a disability has equal access to educational activities. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA)
Later renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) mandated a free and appropriate education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for children with disabilities. -
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Prohibits discrimination based on disability and requiring reasonable accommodations in employment, public services, and telecommunications. -
No Child Left Behind Act
The purpose of the act was to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments. Special education teachers who taught core academic subjects had to meet the highly qualified teacher requirements. -
IDEA Improvement Act
Incorporated changes to improve accountability and educational outcomes for students. Including highly qualified special education teachers, IEP's, and transition planning. -
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
Congress reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the statute formerly known as the No Child Left Behind Act. In response to complaints from states and school districts, Congress removed many portions of the law about accountability -- including requirements for highly qualified teachers. The new education statute, Every Student Succeeds Act, was signed into law by President Obama on December 10, 2015.