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Brown v. Board of Education
The Brown v. Board of Education case is monumental. It set a precedent for an extraordinary number of civil rights cases and more. Brown v. Board of Ed. states that separate schools based on race were unconstitutional. The inequality before this case was unfair to minorities. -
National Defense Education Act
The National Defense Education Act of 1958 (NDEA) provided funds to promote mathematics, science, and modern foreign languages. NDEA is thought to be America's response to the Soviet Union's advances at the time. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) was a part of the War on Poverty. This act was the first to provide federal funding to educate students with disabilities. -
Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia
The Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia case furthered the rights provided from Brown v. Board of Education by positing that discrimination based on disability was just as unconstitutional as racial segregation. Parent advocates were responsible for this victorious case. -
Rehabilitation Act (Section 504)
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against students with special needs. It protects people whose disability affects activities of daily living and major life activities. -
Board of Ed. of Hendrick Hudson Central School Dist. v. Rowley
The Board of Education of Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley "was the Supreme Court's first opportunity to interpret the FAPE [Free Appropriate Public Education] mandate" (Yell, 2012, p. 190). This litigation put weight on the notion of educational benefit for learners with disabilities. -
Handicapped Children’s Protection Act
The Handicapped Children’s Protection Act of 1986 established a family's right to financial reimbursement for attorney fees if they prevailed in the courtroom and/or during due process hearings. This amended the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that promotes educational accessibility. This public law is also aimed at employment opportunities for citizens with special needs. -
No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is an amended reauthorization of the legislation from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. NCLB required that highly qualified teachers help students reach academic standards in a safe public school environment. It mandates state-wide standardized testing. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
This act is a significant act that set criteria for the special education process including Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). IDEA 2004 set mandates for students' Free Appropriate Public Education, related services, and Least Restrictive Environments in regards to placement. It is a monumental law that protects the rights of students with disabilities and special needs. The changes that this 2004 case made have impacted the future of special education. -
Winkelman v. Parma City School District
The Winkelman v. Parma City School District case is about parental involvement. It expanded the parameters of FAPE to include more specific parental rights. -
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act "is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records" (U.S. Department of Education, 2011).