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Brown v. Board of Education
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional giving equal educational opportunities for every child, including those with disabilities. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
An act passed by Congress and President Lyndon B. Johnson. The ESEA addresses educational inequity by allocating federal funds to schools serving low-income children. Title I of the ESEA benefited students with disabilities through increased educational opportunities for underprivileged children. -
Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
This case established the right to education for children with intellectual disabilities and set a precedent for future legislation ensuring educational access for all children with disabilities. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA)
Students with disabilities are entitled to equal access to education in any public schools that accept federal funding, in accordance to the EHA (Public Law 94-142). In order to provide each disabled student with individualized support and accommodations, this act mandated that schools prepare an Individualized Education Program (IEP). -
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Established greater protections for students with disabilities by prohibiting discrimination based on disability in every area of public life, including education. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
The EHA was extended and reauthorized by the IDEA, which also added autism and traumatic brain damage as added types of disability. It ensured that all children with disabilities received a free and adequate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE) and emphasized the necessity of transition programs to help students with disabilities in transitioning from school to after-school activities. -
IDEA Amendments
In order to promote the inclusion of children with disabilities in general education classrooms, additional guidelines were established by the IDEA amendments. In an effort to ensure that the rights of kids with disabilities were protected, they also emphasized the need for schools to develop behavior intervention plans (BIPs) for students with EBD and imposed stricter guidelines for disciplining them. -
No Child Left Behind Act
NCLB sought to close the achievement gap by holding schools to higher standards and making sure all students( including those with disabilities) met state academic requirements. To guarantee that kids with disabilities receive the proper support and resources, the legislation mandated yearly testing and reporting on student progress. -
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
The ESSA superseded NCLB and reauthorized the ESEA, giving states more flexibility for developing accountability frameworks while maintaining a watch on the academic performance of all children, including those with disabilities. ESSA supported the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms and emphasized the need for states to consider the needs of these students in their accountability plans. -
Autism CARES Act
Funding for autism research, early detection, and intervention was reauthorized by the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support (CARES) Act. This law guaranteed continuous government funding for services and programs designed to enhance the quality of life for people with autism and their families.