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Plessy vs. Ferguson
This case discussed the repercussions of segregation being so degrading and discriminatory. Like in the Brown vs. Board of Education case, separate was not equal. In this ruling allowed states to still segregate though they were required to make it equal. This meant that the quality of services had to be the same even if the facilities were separate. -
Brown vs. Board of Education
Oliver Brown's daughter attempted to attend white school in her community because the black school was far from where they lived. When Borwn's daughter was denied access to the white school he took the case to the supreme court where they rules separate was not equal. The "separate is not equal" ruling that came from this case set the basis for all subsequent cases that discriminatory schools. It related to the Zero Reject, FAPE and Least Restrictive Environment sections of IDEA. -
Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act
This act was the start of mentally ill people being treated and given appropriate access to care without being institutionalized. This allowed people with disabilities to be a part of the community. -
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
This act, enacted by Lyndon Johnson, appropriated federal funds to states to improve education for disadvantaged children. This act helped make the Free Appropriate Public Education and the Zero Reject sections of IDEA possible. -
Hobson vs. Hansen
It was found that students were being given biased tests at an early age and those who did well were prepared for college while those who did poorly were not. The tests were made so that poor black children could not do as well. The ruling supports the Nondiscriminatory Identification and Evaluation section of IDEA which requires all testing to be fair and appropriate for the students taking it. -
Diana vs. State Board of CA
This case argued that Spanish speaking students were wrongly being put into special education classrooms on the basis of having done poorly on tests given to them in English.The court ruled that students must be given all testing in their first language and ESL students could not be categorized based on the results of tests in English.
This ruling is carried on today through the Nondiscriminatory Identification and Evaluation section of IDEA. -
PARC vs. Commonwealth of PA
In this case Pennsylvania ruled to provide free public education to all children with disabilities and went on to require the education to be individually appropriate for each student and take place in the least restrictive environment. This ruling is supported by the FAPE, and LRE sections of IDEA. -
Larry P. vs. Riles
IQ testing on young black children was found to be inappropriately placing them in Educable Mentally Retarded classrooms based on tests that were discriminatory. The court rules that evaluations must be multi-faceted and tests must be validated for use on minority populations they are given to. -
Mills vs. Board of Education District of Columbia
This case reenforced that all children with disabilities had a right to free public education which is now part of the IDEA principal FAPE and Zero Rejects. The case also gave these students and their families the right to legal procedural safeguards such as the right to know of any school policy changes, access to records, and the right to be heard. -
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
This was the first federal civil rights law to protect the rights of people with disabilities. It prevented federally funded institutions from discriminating against people with disabilities based on their handicap. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
This act ensured that all mentally and physically handicapped students had access to free public education. It also allowed parents of these students the right to voice complaints to the school and have a say in how their child was treated and educated. This act primarily focuses on Free Appropriate Public Education and Due Process Safeguards. This act eventually evolved into the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. -
Handicap Children's Protection Act
This act primarily helped the Due Process Safeguards section of IDEA by helping the families of children with disabilities to recover legal fees if they win through due process of hearing. -
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
This act prohibits discrimination based on peoples disabilities. -
IDEA name change
The most recent name change of the IDEA was in 2004 when it became Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. -
Rosa's Law
Obama signed in this law which replaced the term "mental retardation" with "intellectual disability" in government domains.