SPED Law Timeline

  • Brown v. Board of education

    Ruled that segregation within public schools was illegal. Forcing the integration of schools.
  • Elementary and Secondary education Act

    The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was made by congress in 1965 help reverse the inequality of educational opportunity for underprivileged children. The legislation provided resources to disadvantaged students for the could have access to proper education.
  • PARC and MIlls

    Parc and Mills addresses the exclusion of children with mental retardation from public schools. Education placement must now include the parents as a way to resolve disputes.
  • Congressional Investigation

    The Bureau of Education for the Handicapped found that there were 8 million children requiring special education services. Of this total, 3.9 million students adequately had their educational needs met, 2.5 million were receiving a substandard education and 1.75 million weren’t in school.
  • The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975

    Ensured that all students with disabilities have the right to education and for schools to provide proper education services for those students.
  • Public Law 99-457

    An addition to the All handicapped Children act, the act mandated ndividual states provide services to families of children born with disabilities from the time they are born.
  • The Education of the Handicapped Act

    The Education of the Handicapped Act (Act) provides federal money to assist state and local agencies in educating handicapped children. The Act also requires that a participating State provide specified administrative procedures by which the child's parents or guardian may challenge any change in the evaluation and education of the child.
  • Handicapped Children’s Protection Act of 1986

    Provides procedural safeguards for parents of handicapped children when special education decisions are made by the schools. These safeguards ensure that the rights of handicapped children are protected.
  • Honig v. Doe

    The state must provide services directly to those students with disabilities when local boards fail to make them available. Students with disabilities may not be punishments for behaviors related to their disabilities.
  • Timothy W. v. Rochester

    The Court held that the previous enacted laws provide a no rejection policy and the act includes severally disabled children. Conclusion, schools may not exclude children with severe disabilities from public education.
  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

    A modification of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. This law ensures that special needs students receive appropriate free public education in the least restrictive environment necessary to meet those students’ needs.
  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004

    Increasing the amount of services for students with disabilities including early intervention opportunities and researched based instruction provided by qualified special education teachers.