History of Special Education Timeline

By Ctime19

  • Massachusetts Compulsory Education Law

    -The law created so that every city and town required its primary schools to teach grammar and basic arithmetic
    -Requirement of children to attend school.

  • White House Conference on Children

    -Brought national attention on children and youth with disabilities.

  • Cuyahoga County Ohio Council for the Retarded Child

    -A council put together to advocate for students with disabilities. This was the first of many advocacy groups to emerge during the 30’s.

  • Brown v. Board of Education

    -Segregation is unconstitutional, even if the segregated schools are equal in quantity; separate but equal, is in fact not equal

  • PARC v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    -PARC: Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children
    -The first rights to education suit to overturn Pennsylvania law and secure a quality education for all children.
    -Consent decree provides free public education for children w/ mental retardation

  • Education Amendment of 1974 and Education for all Handicapped Act of 1975.

    -The education of the Handicapped Amendments of 1974 (equal education for students with disabilities.
    -Bilingual Education Act- provides schools w/ the funds for programs that assist those not fluent in English.
    -Equal Education Act- all students have the same educational opportunities.

  • Handicapped Children's Protection Act of 1986

    -Education for all handicapped children
    -The lawyer fees will be paid by the government for special needs kids parents who are fighting for equal rights at their school
    -Birth- age 5 guaranteed a free and appropriate public education like non-disable students

  • The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

    -Schools must implement programs to meet the direct needs of disabled kids
    -Laws set forth for IEP to be developed with parents/ guardians (individually tailored).

  • Hoekstra v. Independent School District

    Minnesota student, Rebecca Hoekstra, who suffers from achondroplasia and central auditory processing which causes her to immobile and destined with a wheelchair. The plaintiff had difficulty using stairs and was not given access to the elevator.