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Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka
"We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. . ." (History - Brown v. Board of Education Re-enactment, uscourts.gov, n.d.). Although this case was about racial segregation and not segregation of disabled students, it did set the precedent for integrated public school education, which would later come up in Mills v. Board of Education of District of Columbia. -
Special Olympics
The first global Special Olympics was held in 1968 at Chicago's Soldier Field and provided an opportunity for individuals with ID to show what they could do, versus what they could not. In relation to special education, the Special Olympics shined a spotlight on ID, heightened awareness and acceptance, and gave those students a meaningful event in which to participate (1968 Games, specialolympics.org, 2014). -
Mills v. Board of Education of District of Columbia
In this landmark ruling, the Supreme Court decided that ALL children have a right to public education, regardless of disability or ability to pay. It is the obligation of the school districts to provide this education (Mills v. Board of Education of District of Columbia, usedulaw.com, n.d.). -
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504)
"The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as Amended (Rehab Act) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies, in programs receiving federal financial assistance, in federal employment and in the employment practices of federal contractors," (The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehab Act), askearn.org, 2019). In special education, schools that receive federal funding cannot discriminate against/refuse to provide education to a student because of a disability. -
Education for All Handicapped Children
"This act required all public schools accepting federal funds to provide equal access to education for children with physical and mental disabilities. Public schools were required to evaluate children with disabilities and create an educational plan with parent input that would emulate as closely as possible the educational experience of non-disabled students," and ways for parents to dispute educational decisions (S. 6 (94th): Education For All Handicapped Children Act, govtrack.us., n.d.). -
Board of Education of Hendrick Hudson v. Rowley
The Supreme Court ruled that school did not have to provide a student who is deaf a sign language interpreter if they were determined to be receiving a free appropriate education that was equal and adequate. This was the first time that the definition of FAPE came under fire, opening the door for many interpretations and arguments surrounding what services had to be provided in special education under the EAHCA (later IDEA) (Board of Educ. v. Rowley, 458 U.S. 176 (1982), supreme.justia.com). -
Americans with Disabilities Act
"The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public," (What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?, adata.org, n.d.). Schools cannot discriminate against students based on disability and must provide equal opportunities to students with disabilities as they offer to non-disabled students. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
"The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children," (About IDEA, sites.ed.gov, n.d.). The goal is to provide the same educational opportunities to students with disabilities as is provided to non-disabled students, as well as an educational program tailored to each student with a disability. -
No Child Left Behind
"The NCLB law... significantly increased the federal role in holding schools responsible for the academic progress of all students. And it put a special focus on ensuring that states and schools boost the performance of certain groups of students, such as English-language learners, students in special education, and poor and minority children," (No Child Left Behind: An Overview, edweek.org, 2015). -
Endrew F. v. Douglas County School Distrtict
The Supreme Court ruled that school districts must provide an education that is more than "de minimus" and that, "...an IEP is reasonably calculated to enable each child to make progress appropriate for that child’s circumstances," (Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, oyez.org, n.d.). This means that schools must provide more than the bare minimum for a student and ensure that the make progress, whatever that might individually look like, regardless of disability.
