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Period: to
Interactive Timeline of Special Education
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Brown V Board of Education (1954)
The supreme court ruled that separating children in school on the basis of race was not constitutional, and that separate was not equal. Advocates in special education used this ruling to help propel the idea that students with disabilities were also being discriminated against (Wright & Wright, 2021). -
Public Law 85-926
President Dwight Eisenhower signed public law 85-926, giving federal money to "colleges and universities for training leadership personnel in teaching children with mental retardation" (Martin et al., 1996, p.26). -
Expansion of Public Law 85-926
"In 1963 Congress expanded Public Law 85-926 to include grants to train college teachers and researchers in a broader array of disabilities" (Martin et al., 1996, p. 26). -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965
ESEA of 1965 provided federal funding for elementary and secondary schools (Martin et al., 1996). This act was significant because it was the first funding from the federal government to provide aid for public elementary and secondary education (Martin et al., 1996). -
Public Law 89-313
Public law 89-313 affirmed that Title I funding could be used for the betterment of handicapped students in public schools (Martin et al., 1996). -
Mills v. Board of Education
Mills v. Board of Education concluded that, "children with disabilities had an equal right to public education offered in a form that was meaningful for them" (Martin et al., 1996, p.28). -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975)
Known as public law 94-142, guaranteed students a free, appropriate public education, and provided federal funding to states (Martin et al., 1996). Public law 94-142 mandated services for children aged 3-21 years old (U.S. Office of Special Education Programs, n.d.). Public law 94-142 required evaluations on students, child finds, annual Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings for students needing special education services as well as ensure those IEPs are implemented (Martin et al., 1996). -
Public Law 99-457
Mandated states provide services and programs to children with disabilities from birth (U.S. Office of Special Education Programs, n.d.) -
American with Disabilities Act (ADA)
ADA prohibited, "discriminatory practices in
employment, public accommodations,
transportation, and telecommunication" (Martin et al., 1996, p. 29). -
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)
Education for All Handicapped Children Act renamed, Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) in 1990 (U.S. Office of Special Education Programs, n.d.). Schools must provide students with related services, assistive technology, extended school year/day, IDEA guaranteed parental input and attendance at IEP meetings, and the right to appeal the school's decision (Martin et al., 1996). -
IDEA 1997
The 1997 amendment to IDEA included a required transition plan in every student's IEP at the age of 14 years old (U.S. Office of Special Education Programs, n.d). -
No Child Left Behind Act 2001 (NCLB)
The purpose of NCLB was to ensure every student had access to a quality education (Wright & Wright, 2021). Furthermore, "Special education teachers who taught core academic subjects had to meet the highly qualified teacher requirements in NCLB by demonstrating competence in the subjects they teach" (Wright & Wright, 2021, Aligning IDEA and NCLB). -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004
IDEA 2004 served two essential purposes. "The first purpose is to provide an education that meets a child's unique needs and prepares the child for further education, employment, and independent living" (Wright & Wright, 2021, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004). "The second purpose is to protect the rights of both children with disabilities and their parents" (Wright & Wright, 2021, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004). -
Every Student Succeeds Act 2015
ESSA reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Wright & Wright, 2021). This act eliminated the requirement that teachers be highly qualified (Wright & Wright, 2021). -
Reference
Wright, P.W.D. & Wright, P. D. (2021). The history of special education law in the United States. Wrightslaw. Retrieved July 13, 2024 from The History of Special Education Law in the United States by Peter W.D. Wright, Esq. and Pamela Darr Wright (wrightslaw.com) -
Reference
Martin, E. W., Martin, R., & Terman, D. L. (1996). The legislative and litigation history of
special education. The Future of Children, 6(1), 25-39. https://doi.org/10.2307/1602492 -
Reference
U.S. Office of Special Education Programs. (n.d.). History: Twenty-five years of progress in educating children with disabilities through IDEA. Archived: History of the IDEA (PDF)