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Initial Federal Response
Initial Federal Response In the 1950s and 1960s, the federal government, with the strong support and advocacy of family associations, such as The ARC, began to develop and validate practices for children with disabilities and their families. These practices, in turn, laid the foundation for implementing effective programs and services for early intervention and special education in states and localities across the country. -
Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
In 1954, the U. S. Supreme Court issued a landmark civil rights decision in Brown v. Board of Education. In Brown, school children from four states argued that segregated public schools were inherently unequal and deprived them of equal protection of the laws. The Supreme Court found that African-American children had the right to equal educational opportunities and that segregated schools “have no place in the field of public education -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA)
Congress enacted the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 1965 to address the inequality of educational opportunities for underprivileged children. This landmark legislation provided resources to help ensure that disadvantaged students had access to quality education. -
PARC and Mills 1970
During the early 1970s, two cases were catalysts for change: Pennsylvania Assn. for Retarded Children v.Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (PARC) & Mills v. Board of Education of District of Columbia. PARC dealt with the exclusion of children with mental retardation from public schools. In the subsequent settlement, it was agreed that educational placement decisions must include a process of parental participation and a means to resolve disputes. -
Congressional Investigation (1972)
After PARC and Mills, Congress launched an investigation into the status of children with disabilities and found that millions of children were not receiving an appropriate education: -
The Idea Act
When it was passed in 1975, P.L. 94-142 guaranteed a free appropriate public education to each child with a disability. This law had a dramatic, positive impact on millions of children with disabilities in every state and each local community across the country. -
First 25 years of IDEA
First 25 Years of IDEA Progress (1975–2000) To achieve national goals for access to education for all children with disabilities, a number of special issues and special populations have required federal attention. These national concerns are reflected in a number of key amendments to the Education for the Handicapped Act ( EHA; P.L. 99-457) and IDEA between 1975 and 2000 -
Overrepresentation of Minority Children 1975
In 1975, Congress found that poor African-American children were over-represented in special education. These problems have persisted. In the Findings of IDEA 2004, Congress described ongoing problems with the over-identification of minority children, including mislabeling and high dropout rates: -
The Concern for the Young
The 1980s saw an increasing national concern for young children with disabilities and their families. Whereas P.L. 94-142 mandated programs and services for children ages 3 to 21 that were consistent with state law, the 1986 amendments to EHA (P.L. 99-457) mandated that states provide programs and services to children with disabilities from birth. -
Change of Name
The 1983 amendments to EHA the 1990 amendments to EHA, which changed the name to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the 1997 amendments to IDEA supported initiatives for transition services from high school to adult living. -
IDEA was reauthorized in 1997
In addition to upholding the rights outlined in previous legislation. The act emphasized academic outcomes for students with disabilities. This involved raising expectations for students, supporting students who follow the general curriculum, supporting parents, and helping states determine appropriate outcomes. With the focus on outcomes, school-to-work transition planning gained new importance. -
Inclusive education has become more accepted in the education community since 2000
The reauthorization of IDEA in 2004 Congress reiterated that special education and related services should be designed to meet students’ unique needs.” In addition, they stated that students with disabilities should have “access to the general education curriculum in the regular classroom, to the maximum extent possible.” -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004
Congress has amended and renamed the special education law several times since 1975. On December 3, 2004, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was amended again. The reauthorized statute is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 and is known as IDEA 2004. The statute is in Volume 20 of the United States Code (U. S. C.), beginning at Section 1400 -
RTI started 2004
RTI) also began because of the changes in the 2004 law. These interventions, which are started in general education before students are given special education services, are called “multitiered systems of support” (MTSS) in ESSA. -
More youths with disabilities graduate from hig
More youths with disabilities graduate from high enter school ready to learn. In the school year 2007–08, IDEA-reported data Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study, which indicated that 217,905 students with disabilities, ages assessed almost 3,000 preschoolers who received 14–21, graduated high school with a regular diploma. -
Aligning IDEA and NCLB 2015
Congress has reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the statute formerly known as No Child Left Behind. The new statute, Every Student Succeeds Act, was signed into law by President Obama on December 10, 2015.
