-
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
https://www.fsdbk12.org/ The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) was established in 1885 with support of the State of Florida and private contributions. Based in St. Augustine it's one of the top schools for the deaf and blind in the nation and the only one of its kind in Florida. This school is fully accredited and a tuition-free state public school for eligible students in Pre-K- 12 who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, or deafblind. -
Beattie v. Board of Education
The Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld a ruling that allowed public schools to exclude students with disabilities based on whether their presence may be deemed harmful to the best interest of the school. Merritt Beattie exhibited speech difficulties and paralysis, which officials claim nauseated his teachers, resulting in his expulsion from school. Federal courts wouldn't be able to interfere with the school board unless the determination was shown to have been illegal or unreasonable (Forte, 2017). -
Founding of the Special Oympics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGlrCsbIUtg Founded by Eunice Kennedy, the Special Olympics was a backyard summer camp for people with intellectual disabilities called Camp Shriver. In the 1990’s, the organization gained momentum and recognition, resulting in the first International Games being held outside the US. The Special Olympics is currently celebrating 50 years of the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities through sports (www.specialolympics.org). -
Mills v. Board of Education
Mills v. Board of Education was a lawsuit filed against the District of Columbia. The court ruled that students with disabilities must be provided with public education, regardless of their caregiver's ability to pay for the cost of education. The case stated that “all children are entitled to free public education and training appropriate to their learning capacities.” Prior to this case, children were denied education because they were cited as having behavioral issues (2015). -
PARC v. Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens (PARC) v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was a case where the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens (PARC) sued the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Children who had reached the age of 8, but had not reached the mental age of 5 and children who had difficulties integrating into classroom settings were denied a free education. The court ruled that Pennsylvania must provide access to free public education to children, regardless of disability. -
Education for all Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA or EHA)
This act required all public schools that accepted federal funds to provide equal access to education for children with disabilities. They were required to provide evaluations and create an educational plan. Four major goals: (1) providing special education services to students in need, (2) ensuring that their services are fair and appropriate, (3) managing and auditing requirements for special education, and (4) providing federal funds to help the states educate them (Rhodes, et al., 2007). -
Founding of Parents Helping Parents
Parents helping parents is a non-profit organization that was established in 1976. This agency offers a variety of support groups, family and community services, crisis support, early intervention, and assistive technology services for families who have children with special needs. Some of these special needs served include, but are not limited to, birth defects, neurological conditions, intellectual or physical disabilities, etc. -
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind law effectively enhanced the federal role in holding schools accountable for student achievement. The Bush administration sought to close the achievement gap between low-income and minority students. This act provided Title I provisions for disadvantaged students. To receive federal funding, students of all grade levels were assessed based on standards set by the state. This law received widespread criticism, eventually replaced by the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
This law states that all children with disabilities are expected to receive a free and appropriate education in their least restrictive environment. Eligible students will receive an individualized education plan determining services that will help them access their education. Parents and children can participate in these determinations during annual meetings. Students are granted appropriate evaluations and parents are given procedural safeguards as an option to resolve disagreements. -
Endrew F. v. Douglas
Endrew F. was a student with autism who was placed in a private school because his parents believed his public school education was not appropriate. His parents sued for reimbursement of his private school tuition and related expenses pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). The Administrative Law Judge rejected Endrew’s parent’s request, on the basis that the public school had provided him with “free appropriate public education” (FAPE). The decision was unanimous.
