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Plessy v. Ferguson
In this early case, the Supreme Court declared that it was legal to segregate individuals with disabilities as well as to have separate facilities so long they are equal. This meant no integration of students with disabilities. http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/plessy-v-ferguson -
Brown V. Board of Education
The Supreme Court rules that the segregation of African-Americans in public schools is unconstitutional and unequal. This overturned the Plessy V. Ferguson case and provided a Civil Rights movement to provide equal access to minorities. This was helpful to students with disabilities as this case inspired educational reform all over the country. www.fortschools.org/m/content.cfm?subpage=62980 -
Congress adds Title VI to the Elementary Act of 1965
In adding this title, a Bureau of Education for the Handicapped was created. Today this is called the Office of Special Education Programs or OSEP. This bureau began to advocate for children with special needs, although at this time it was still not state or federally mandated to educate students with disabilities. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_and_Secondary_Education_Act -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
This legislation enacted by Congress provided resources to help ensure that disadvantaged students has access to quality education. President Lydon B. Johnson signed the law with his elementary school teacher next to him. This legislation emphasized equal access to education and promoted high standard and equal accountability to schools. www.fortschools.org/m/content.cfm?subpage=62980 -
Section 504 of the Rehabilitiation Act of 1973
This law is important because it was the first civil rights statue for people with disabilities. This law also helped in the formation of the American Disability Act. This law stated that students with disabilities should be provided with a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. www.fortschools.org/m/content.cfm?subpage=62980 -
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
This federal law was designed to protect the privacy of students' school records. This law outlines parental rights concerning their child's information. These rights transfer to the child when they turn 18 or move onto secondary education. This law gives parents access to all personally identifiable information that was collected regarding their child. https://ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA)
PL. 94-142
This act ensured free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment for all children with disabilities. This outlined that schools needed to put into place a procedure so parents of children with disabilities could dispute decisions regarding their child's education. (Procedural Safeguard) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_for_All_Handicapped_Children_Act -
Board of Education of Hendrick Hudson Central School District V. Rowley
The Supreme Court established a "basic floor of responsibility." This states that a school is not required to provide the maximum amount of services to meet the goals of children's IEP. It ruled schools were only responsible for meeting the basic needs of a child. This would later be challenged. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Board_of_Education_of_the_Hendrick_Hudson_Central_School_District_v._Rowley -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
The Education for All Handicapped was amended and then called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. http://idea.ed.gov/explore?service=http%3A//idea.ed.gov/&gateway=true -
The Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a law to protect people with disabilities from being discriminated against. It is designed so that people with disabilities have equal opportunities in five areas. These areas are: employment, public services, public accommodations, telecommunications, and miscellaneous provisions. This protected special education students not only in school, but in the workplace as well. https://www.ada.gov/ -
IDEA Amendments of 1997
President Bill Clinton signs amendments to the IDEA. These amendments called for students with disabilities to be integrated into the general education classrooms. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oii/nonpublic/idea1.html -
No Child Left Behind
Originally known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, this act promoted high achieving standards for all students, including those with disabilities. This act also said that each child will reach proficiency in math and reading by 2014. https://www2.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml -
No Child Left Behind Act (reauthorization)
The No Child Left Behind Act is reauthorized. This reauthorization requires that special education teachers be highly qualified. It also states that all paraprofessionals that work in Title I schools be qualified as well. https://www2.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml -
IDEA 2004 (revisions)
Signed by President George W. Bush, the reauthorization of IDEA allowed changes to be made regarding special education by including that research based methods must be used for instruction and determining eligibility. As a result, many districts introduced Response to Intervention tiers of instruction. http://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/law/idea.regs.sumry.chngs.pdf -
President Obama allows waivers for NCLB
President Obama allows states to request waivers for flexibility in meeting some of the requirements in the NCLB act. This is due to the fact that the NCLB act has yet to be reauthorized. Through this waiver, schools can show student improvement (AYP) through multiple means to benefit the student. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2012/02/09/everything-you-need-know-waivers-flexibility-and-reforming-no-child-left-behind
