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Brown v. Board of Education
The supreme court rules that schools segregated on the basis of skin color are unconstitutional. Advocates for the equitable education of students with disabilities would reference this decision in future arguments for integration. -
New Life Camp Begins Ministry
Bob and Debbie Johnson begin a Summer Camp program for local kids located in Raleigh, NC. New Life Camp continues to operate to this day and employs many young people as counselors, including the author of this timeline. -
Author's Father Born
Laurier Maurais is born on March 1st. He would eventually enter the public school system in Maine, which at the time had separate classrooms for Special Needs Students. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the equal funding for "normal" and "special" education students. The bill also focused on students who were receiving sub-par educations due to impoverished conditions. -
PARC v. Pennsylvania
This case overturned a previous law that allowed Pennsylvania schools to deny education to 8-year old students who had not yet reached the mental age of 5. The judges argued that any student, regardless of handicaps, benefits from an education. -
Mills v. Board of Education of D.C.
The Mills case found that the exclusion, suspension, and expulsion of "exceptional" children was unconstitutional. Every student has the right to an education, regardless if it costs significantly more to educate special needs students than others. -
Raleigh Releases the Gran Sport Touring Bike
British bicycle manufacturer Raleigh unveils the midrange touring model, the Gran Sport. Made of high-quality steel tubing, these bikes could last for decades. One of these bikes would eventually end up in the author's garage. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
Signed into law by Gerald Ford, this piece of legislation required all states to provide equal educational opportunities to students with various handicaps. Failure to do so was now explicitly illegal. -
First Beveled-Edge Golf Disc Patented
Dave Dunipace of Innova Disc Golf patents the Eagle, the first flying disc with enhanced aerodynamic and gyroscopic properties. This pushed the new sport of Disc Golf to new heights, inspiring people from all walks of life to start regularly throwing circular objects into trees, including the author of this timeline. -
Handicapped Children's Protection Act
President Ronald Reagan signed this law, allowing the parents of students with disabilities to be more involved in the development of the Individualized Education Plans. This law helped schools and families to work together for the ultimate success of the student. -
Education For All Handicapped Children Act Revised
Traumatic Brain Injury and Autism were added to the list of disabilities that qualified for IEPs, allowing more children with special needs to receive a personalized education. Individualized Transition Plans were now required as part of a students IEP. -
Author of Timeline Born
He would gain consciousness over the next few years, eventually deciding to become a high school teacher. This timeline exists as part of a class he took about teaching students with special needs. -
Changes to IDEA Enacted
The major changes to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 2017 regarded the language with which children would be referred. The term "mental retardation" would no longer be used, but instead the term "intellectual disability."