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Brown V. Board of Education
The ruling of Brown v. Board of Education declared that segregation in public schools violated the 14th amendment, and was therefore, unconstitutional. This court case allowed students with disabilities to join public schools, creating a foundation to be built upon with further legislation. -
First Special Olympics Games
Founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the first Special Olympics Games included participants from the United States and Canada. This event celebrated athletes with disabilities and gave them the stage in a way that had never been seen before. Special Olympics is still prevalent today as millions of people participate in various sports year round. Students participate in Special Olympics through school involvement, allowing sporting tournaments and competitions for Special Education students. -
PARC v. Pennsylvania
PARC v. Pennsylvania ruled that the state did not have the right to deny a free and appropriate education for students with disabilities. Without this case, students with disabilities would not have been included in public schools for years to come. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142/EHA) guaranteed a free and appropriate public education for every child with a disability in the United States ages 3-21. This law is still used today through reauthorizations. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Originally known as EHA, a reauthorization created IDEA. The reauthorization added disabilities included in the law, making it more inclusive, as well as transition services. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
ADA provided the right to nondiscriminatory treatment for people with disabilities. This was a civil acts law, covering employment, transportation, participation in state and local governments, and everything in between. -
IDEA Reauthorization
In the 1997 reauthorization, IDEA emphasized access to general education curriculum and disciplinary measures for students with disabilities. This reauthorization built upon the foundation from 1990 and helped guide the final reauthorization in 2004. -
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
The No Child Left Behind Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush. This law emphasized improvement in schools based on standardized testing but received a lot of negative responses. This law had negative impacts on Special Education as it pushed for scores similar to non-disabled peers and risked funding for underprivileged schools if these expectations were not met. -
IDEA Reauthorization 2004
The 2004 reauthorization of IDEA provided specifications on identification, evaluation, parental consent and involvement, least restrictive environment, staff qualifications and trainings, IEPs, and due process. This reauthorization is still used in Special Education today. -
Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District
In this court case, the standard of education for students with disabilities was increased. The US Supreme Court stated schools were responsible for providing more than the bare minimum. This case provided important specificities under FAPE.
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