-
Brown v. Board of Education
The initial Civil Rights case ending segregation. This case served as a foundation for special education law. -
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
This Act provided state federal money to multiple states so that they might improve opportunities for students who were disadvantaged (including children with disabilities) -
Mills v. Board of Education & PARC v. Pennsylvania
Very significant Supreme Court decisions were made and the courts now say children with disabilities have equal right to access education. -
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973)
This Act prohibited discrimination against individuals with disabilities in programs that received federal funding. -
Education of the Handicapped Act of 1975 (Public Law 94-142)
This Act provided state grants in order to help expand education programs for students with disabilities and money from the federal government was given to schools to help train special education teachers better. -
The Handicapped Children's Protection Act of 1986
This Act gave parents the right to recover attorney fees if they won in a court case or hearing. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990
This Act added traumatic brain injury and autism as new categories of disability and "people first" language became integrated.
Another major piece of the Act is the inclusion of transition services for students as they transition out of high school. -
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
This Act was formed due to the low academic achievement of American students. The beginning of holding the government responsible for the gains for students academically and is when standardized testing began. -
IDEA Improvement Act of 2004
This Act gave a definition to "highly qualified" special education teachers and encouraged the use of the RTI model in classrooms. As well as removed short-term goals in IEP's except for those with severe disabilities. The Act also made it so free appropriate public education is now eligible for children with disabilities throughout the nation. -
Endrew F v. Douglas County School District (2017)
In order to meet the substantive obligation under the IDEA, the court ruled in favor of a higher standard of education for students with disabilities, thus, creating IEP [individualized education program]. A program that is calculated to enable a child to make progress appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances.