-
Brown v. Board of Education
This famous Supreme Court case ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional because it violated the 14th Amendment. The case laid the groundwork for the premise that education should be extended to all people, including those with disabilities. Special education advocates used Brown v. Board of Education as precedent to fight for more rights for special needs children.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Brown-v-Board-of-Education-of-Topeka -
PL 88-164
This public law authorized federal government money to be allocated for the training of special education teachers and other personnel.
https://history.nih.gov/research/downloads/pl88-164.pdf -
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (PL 93-112)
Section 504 provides a bridge between general education and special education services. Under this law, students who need services but do not qualify under the stringent criteria of IDEA may still receive extra support.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142)
This public law established the idea of FAPE (free and appropriate public education) for all children. This meant that schools were no longer able to reject disabled children. PL 94-142 also required that an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) be written for each child receiving special education services and advocated for students to be placed in the "least restrictive environment."
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/94/s6/summary -
Board of Education v. Rowley
This court case established that exceptional children receive an "appropriate" - not "optimum" - education. This court case acknowledged the limits of public schools and what the federal government could provide to children with special needs.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Board-of-Education-of-the-Hendrick-Hudson-Central-School-District-v-Rowley -
Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986 (PL 99-457)
Renamed the "Education of the Handicapped Act" to the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" (IDEA). Allowed use of federal funds for plans and programs for children beginning at birth, meaning that special education funding was no longer limited just to school-age children.
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr9/issue3/f090308.html -
Javits Act (PL 100-297)
The Javits Act provides federal funding for gifted and talented programs with a special focus on serving underrepresented populations (such as racial minorities, low SES students, ELLs, and students with disabilities).
https://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/resources-university-professionals/jacob-javits-gifted-talented-students -
Americans with Disabilities Act (PL 101-336)
This act extends civil rights to people with disabilities. It prevents discrimination on the basis of disability and requires handicap accessible building features.
https://www.ada.gov/ -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
NCLB required schools to take responsibility for bringing all students (including those with special needs) to a minimum level of competency as determined by standardized test results.
https://www2.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004)
IDEA 2004 was a reauthorization of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975). It required all special education teachers to be licensed in special education and their content area, required that all IEP standards be based on research and evidence-based practices, and required transition planning on IEPs for children over 16 years old to help them thrive beyond primary and secondary schooling.
https://sites.ed.gov/idea/ -
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
ESSA reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and is a revision of the No Child Left Behind act. It places less emphasis on standardized testing, which benefits special needs children who may need alternative methods of assessment to demonstrate their true proficiency and knowledge.
http://neatoday.org/2016/06/30/special-education-essa/