-
Elizabethan Poor Laws
Elizabethan Poor Laws were passed from 1583 to 1601 in order to aid the "deserving poor, orphaned, and crippled." The 1601 law laid some of the burden on society by charging a "poor rate" on property owners. Queen Elizabeth's government divided the poor into 3 groups. The disabled poor were placed in the group labeled "helpless poor" and received a sum of money or food. -
Period: to
Legislative/Litigation History
-
The Community Mental Health Act of 1963 (CMHA)
President Kennedy signed the Mental Retardation Facilities Construction Act in 1963, granting federal dollars for the construction of mental retardation research centers, education for those involved with children with disabilities, and the construction of mental health centers. This law was a result of the findings of the 1962 report from the President's Panel on Mental Retardation. -
Wyatt v. Stickney
The United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama ruled in Wyatt v. Stickney, that residents of institutions or state schools have a constitutional right to individual treatment. Disabled persons who live in custodial institutions could no longer be placed in institutions without receiving education or treatment. -
PARC v. Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children filed suit against the state of Pennsylvania. PARC was persuaded by Dr. Gunnar Dybwad, a very active advocate for the right of the disabled, to pursue the litigation. PARC v. Pennsylvania resulted in the establishment of rights for children with disabilities to have access to a free and equal public education. -
Mills v. Board of Education of District of Columbia
Mills was a civil action brought in the federal US District Court for the District of Columbia on behalf of seven special-needs school-age children who sought their right to a free public education, which was being denied by the District of Columbia School Board. -
Free Appropriate Public Education for Students With Disabilities
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance, including federal funds. “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States . . . shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance . . .” -
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Parents are allowed to have access to all personally identifiable information collected, maintained, or used by a school district regarding their child. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142)
Mandated a free education for children with disabilities, regardless of the seriousness of the disability. Included in the act were provisions for a free and appropriate education, individualized education programs with parental involvement, establishment of due process proceedings, and provision of services in the least restrictive environment. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The ADA provides civil rights protection to individuals with disabilities, and access to equal employment opportunities, state and local government programs, places of public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications. It is the most comprehensive civil rights law for individuals with disabilities. -
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act passed in 1990. Known as the IDEA, the act was an extension of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. The right to a free appropriate public education, in the least restrictive environment, is part of IDEA. -
No Child Left Behind Act
The act is promoted as requiring 100% of students (including disadvantaged and special education students) within a school to reach the same state standards in reading and mathematics by 2014. -
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the primary federal program that authorizes state and local aid for special education and related services for children with disabilities. Part A - General Provisions Findings. Highly qualified special education teacher definition. Part B - Assistance For Education Of All Children With Disabilities. Part C - Infants And Toddlers With Disabilitie. Part D- National Activities To Improve Education Of Children With Disabilities.
