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Brown vs. Board of Education
The case that came to be known as Brown v. Board of Education was actually the name given to five separate cases concerning the issue of segregation in public schools. While the facts of each case are different, the main issue in each was the constitutionality of state-sponsored segregation in public schools (United States Courts). https://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/history-brown-v-board-education-re-enactment -
Public Law 88-164
Public Law 88-164 authorized funds for training professionals to work with children with special needs and for research and demonstration for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and deafness (Kirk, S., Gallagher, J., Coleman, M.R., 2015) https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-77/pdf/STATUTE-77-Pg282.pdf -
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (PL 93-112)
The key provision of the act says that it is illegal to deny participation in activities or programs solely because of a disability. Individuals with disabilities must have equal access to programs and services (Kirk, S., Gallagher, J., Coleman, M.R., 2015). https://legcounsel.house.gov/Comps/Rehabilitation%20Act%20Of%201973.pdf -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142)
The measure was designed "to assure that all handicapped children have available to them a free appropriate public education which emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs" (Education for All Handicapped Children Act, 1975, p.35) (Kirk, S., Gallagher, J., Coleman, M.R., 2015). https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/idea35/history/index_pg10.html -
Public Law 99-457
Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986 provided that opportunity by allocating federal funds for the states to develop plans and programs for children and their families from birth on (Kirk, S., Gallagher, J., Coleman, M.R., 2015). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2801456 -
Americans with Disabilities Act (PL 101-336)
Extends civil rights to persons with disabilities (Kirk, S., Gallagher, J., Coleman, M.R., 2015). https://cpr.bu.edu/resources/reasonable-accommodations/the-americans-with-disabilities-act-ada/ -
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 (PL 107-110)
Its purpose was to hold schools and educators responsible for bringing students to a minimum level of competency. This act had an impact on all schoolchildren and a special impact on children with disabilities (Kirk, S., Gallagher, J., Coleman, M.R., 2015). http://www.ideapartnership.org/topics-database/elementary-and-secondary-education-act-nclb.html -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
A reauthorization of PL 94-142. Some major changes included: quality of personnel, IEP standards, and transitional planning. One of the key features of this legislation is that it funded many of the support elements that provide quality special education (Kirk, S., Gallagher, J., Coleman, M.R., 2015). https://sites.ed.gov/idea/ -
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
The goal was to stimulate economic activity in a number of areas, including financial and social institutions, and education, to ensure the long-time economic health of our nation. This resulted in large funds provided to the states under IDEA on a one time basis to improve the delivery of quality of early intervention services (Kirk, S., Gallagher, J., Coleman, M.R., 2015). https://www.ntia.doc.gov/page/2011/american-recovery-and-reinvestment-act-2009 -
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
This measure reauthorizes the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the nation’s national education law and longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students. The new law builds on key areas of progress in recent years, made possible by the efforts of educators, communities, parents, and students across the country (US Department of Education). https://www.ed.gov/essa?src=rn