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The American School for the Deaf 1817
This was the first school that was opened for children with disabilities. The reason they built this school was to teach the religious doctrines of the protestant religion and to do that they needed a way for them to communicate with people who are hard at hearing, so the school was based on sign language. The school became a success and the governor at the time endorsed the school which started to change people’s attitude towards deaf people for the better. -
Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965
President Johnson, offered new grants to districts serving low-income students, federal grants for textbooks and library books, funding for special education centers, and scholarships for low-income college students. Additionally, the law provided federal grants to state educational agencies to improve the quality of elementary and secondary education. It helped combat racial segregation in schools by provided federal funds in schools that were Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. -
1972 Mills versus Board of Education of the District of Columbia
Extended the right to special education to children of all disabilities. Mills was one of the first cases in the US that made certain that students with any disability have the right to a public education, regardless of the cost to the school system, and led to comprehensive federal legislation protecting disabled children's right to free public education. they can not make anymore excuses anymore such as not enough funds. -
1973 Vocational Rehabilitation Act (VRA) (P.L. 93-112, Section 504)
Defined handicapped person, a person with a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities. They give appropriate education, and prohibits discrimination in federally funded programs. The Rehab Act also addresses information technology. Such as it requires federal agencies’ information and communications technology to be accessible to people with disabilities from the public and employees. -
Congressional Investigation of 1972
Congress set out to uncover how many children with special education needs were being unresolved. The Bureau of Education for the Handicapped found that there were eight million children requiring special education services and out of the eight million only 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. -
All Handicapped Children Act 1975 EHA / IDEA
This allowed all students to go to school before many children were denied access to education and opportunities to learn. The 1990 reauthorization changed the law's name from EHA to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. It also added traumatic brain injury and autism as new disability categories. The 2004 reauthorization added early intervening services for children not currently identified as needing special education.
IDEA -
1982 Board of Education of Hendrick Hudson Central School versus Rowley
This case was based on a student, Amy Rowley who was deaf and was denied access to an interpreter in school. The parents sued the school on her behalf for violation of the Education of All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. Rowley won the case for even though she was doing better in school, she was still not achieving to her full potential for not being able to understand fully unlike when she has an interpreter. -
1988 Honig versus Doe
This was the first case where they uphold the educational rights of emotionally disabled students. This case is very important for students who have certain issues controlling emotions because of their disability. They used the stay put policy to win. After the case, they passed a law that schools cannot expel students for behaviors related to their disability.
Honig v. Doe (1988) Overview | LSData Case Brief Video Summary -
1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (P.L. 101-336)
On July 26, 1990, guarantees that people with disabilities shall have equal access to employment, public services and accommodations, transportation, and telephone services. it was signed by President George H. W. Bush. -
2001 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
This is the 2002 update of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and it was signed by president bush. Most people know this law for the standardized testing but it was more than that it increases accountability and flexibility in use of federal funds, offers school choice options, implements early reading interventions.