Special Education History in the United States

  • Segregation in Brown v. Board Found Unconstitutional

    Segregation in Brown v. Board Found Unconstitutional
    After a year and a half of deliberating, the US Supreme Court found that segregated public schools were unequal and declared them unconstitutional. This was a landmark case that recognized the separation that children with disabilities had faced regarding schooling.
  • Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    This ruling called for state-run institutions to address an individual's specific educational requirements based on a meticulous evaluation. The decree became the basis for the EHA in 1975.
  • Mills v. Board of Education of DC

    Mills v. Board of Education of DC
    Mills argued that no child should be denied a free public education on the basis of disability. The case led to Congress directly passing IDEA.
  • My mother was born in Fort Dix, NJ

    My mother was born in Fort Dix, NJ
  • Passing of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act

    Passing of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act
    Reauthorized as the Individuals with Disabilities Act in 1990, Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act to ensure children with disabilities were granted equal access to education. The act succeeded in including students with disabilities in general classrooms and neighborhood schools. Many more of the students benefitted from IDEA continued on to graduating high school and college.
  • North Carolina Persons with Disabilities Protection Act Becomes Law

    North Carolina Persons with Disabilities Protection Act Becomes Law
    Originally called the Handicapped Persons Protection Act, this became law in 1985. It emphasizes equality in employment regards, but addresses discrimination in public service and transportation.
  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Act Published

    Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Act Published
    What was once called the EHA was renamed and added traumatic brain injury and autism as additional categories. It was revised to include more guidance for students with disabilities from high school and beyond.
  • Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette released

    Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette released
  • Amendment to IDEA Act

    Amendment to IDEA Act
    While IDEA was a progressive act, it still needed revisions from its 1990 publishing. This amendment changed the way IEPs were developed and implemented, required that special education teachers be highly qualified by a set of standards, and provided additional information on identifying students with learning disabilities.
  • I was born in Wilmington, NC

    I was born in Wilmington, NC
  • NC P&A Merges with Carolina Legal Assistance

    NC P&A Merges with Carolina Legal Assistance
    Disability Rights North Carolina (DRNC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is a merging of North Carolina's Protection and Advocacy with the former Carolina Legal Assistance. DRNC "advances and defends the rights of people with disabilities".
  • My little brother Gabe was born

    My little brother Gabe was born
  • I started school at NC State

    I started school at NC State