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Teachers of the Deaf Act of 1961 -Public Law 87-276
Trained instructional personnel for children who were deaf or hard of hearing. Established and conducted a program of grants-in-aid to accredited public and nonprofit institutions of higher education for teachers of the deaf to provide courses of training and study for teachers of the deaf and in improving such courses. https://uscode.house.gov/statutes/pl/87/276.pdf
(Public Law 87-276) -
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was signed into law by Lyndon B. Johnson as part of the “War on Poverty.” ESEA not only called for equal access to education for all students but also federal funding for both primary and secondary education for students disadvantaged by poverty. -
Pennsylvania Assoc for Retarded Children (PARC) v. Commonwealth of PA
This was the first right-to-education suit in the country, to overturn that Pennsylvania law and secure a quality education for all children.
Challenged the constitutionality of excluding individuals with mental retardation from public education and training. The state was not allowed to “deny to any mentally retarded child access to a free public program of education and training.” -
Mills v. Board of Ed of the District of Columbia
The Mills class action lawsuit was brought against the DC public School system on behalf of 7 school aged children with special needs. These children had been denied the right to free public education. They were forced to stay home, without a means to an education. This ruling made it unlawful for the D.C. Board of Education to deny these individuals access to publicly funded educational opportunities. -
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
A civil rights law that bans disability discrimination. It is the law that provides 504 plans. Under Section 504, students with disabilities have the right to reasonable accommodations. https://youtu.be/pxx6rQqIjpY -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) (Public Law 94-142, Part B)
This is known as the Mainstream Law. It requires states to provide a free and appropriate public education for children with disabilities (ages 5 to 18), requires Individualized educational programs (IEP’s), and first defined least restrictive Environment. -
Handicapped Children’s Protection Act
President Reagan signed the Handicapped Children’s Protection Act. The Handicapped Children’s Protection Act was passed in 1986 as an amendment to the Education for All Handicapped Children Act to provide for the payment of legal fees for parties who successfully sue under the Act. This law gave parents of children with disabilities more say in the development of their child’s Individual Education Plan, or IEP. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act Public Law 101-476
Public Law 101-476 called for significant changes to Public Law 94-142, or the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Traumatic brain injury and autism were added as new disability categories. Additionally, Congress mandated that as a part of a student’s IEP, an individual transition plan, or ITP, must be developed to help the student transition to post-secondary life. -
BOE, Sacramento City Unified School District v. Holland
Four factors were identified to be taken into consideration when determining if the student’s LRE is appropriate. The educational benefits of integrated settings v segregated settings, nonacademic benefits, effect the student with a disability can have on the teacher/peers, the cost of supplementary services that will be required for that student to stay in the integrated setting. https://www.k12academics.com/special-education-united-states/least-restrictive-environment/court-rulings -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) – 2001 and 2004
NCLB, have enhanced the quality of special education programs at the state level. Providing further accountability to schools and added technology assistance and loan programs to help schools acquire needed special education resources. The law calls for highly qualified teachers, including those who teach special education. The intention of NCLB is to close the achievement gap for students considered to be at-risk.
https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/no-child-left-behind-an-overview/2015/04 -
Florida Inclusion Network
The Florida Inclusion Network (FIN) was created in partnership with the districts. FIN collaborates with all schools and facilitates best practices for inclusive education. It provides guidelines for inclusive scheduling to increase time in the LRE for SWD.