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The Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons
The first School created to educate special needs students. Their program was designed specifically to educate children who were blind, deaf, or non-verbal. -
Louisiana Exceptional Children's Fund
Allowed parishes to create exceptional children classrooms for exceptional and handicapped children, not including gifted or mentally retarded. If the parishes chose to participate in the program they were reimbursed funds. Students ages birth to 21 were included in the law. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Signed into law by President Linden B. Johnson, created federal funds for K-12 public schools. Specifically allocated to funding programs that assisted disadvantaged children. -
Special Olympics International Games
Eunice Kennedy Shriver advocated for the rights and equal treatment of those who were mentally handicapped throughout her life. She created the special Olympics as a place to showcase their skills, resiliency, and foster positive attitudes. In 1968 her creation became an international event at the Special Olympics International Games Chicago. -
Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens (PARC) v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Repealed and named unconstitutional a law that gave public schools the authority to prevent free education to children who had reached the age of 8, yet had not reached the mental age of 5. The law had previously been used to deny free and appropairte education to individuals with disabilities. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
Required all public schools to provide equal access to education and a free meal each day for children with physical and mental disabilities. Public schools were required to evaluate these children and create an educational plan with parent input that give them access to the same quality education as their general education peers. -
IDEA 1990
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1990) outlined free appropriate public education for children with disabilities, education for these children should be planned and monitored with an individualized education program, and that children should be placed in the least restrictive environment.
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No Child Left Behind Act
Signed into law by president George W. Bush. Created greater requirements and incentives for schools to receive federal funding by having schools focus the academic progress of all students with focus on progress made by English-language learners, students in special education, and poor and minority children. -
Special Education Services Settlement, New Orleans, Louisiana
This settlement ensured that services to identify children with disabilities were developed and monitored, charter schools were required to outline special educational services they would be providing, provide best practices instruction to teachers on special education, and develop procedural safeguards for parents to file complaints.
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Every Student Succeeds Act
Signed into law by President Barak Obama. Gives many components of educational policy making back to the states. States must have plans on closing achievement gaps between highest and lowest performing students, including those in special education. Students in special education will no longer be able to be exempt from state testing in large groups.
