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Brown v. Board of Education
In the case of Brown v. Board of Education the United States Supreme Court ruled that segregation of children was a violation of the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. I feel this needs to be included on the foundations timeline because this event paved the way for parents of children with disabilities to also fight for their child's right to an equal education. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
The ESEA ensures that all children have equal access to education. It sets high standards for academic performance and demands accountability from schools and districts. ESEA consists of specialized programs that support schools in the academic achievement of struggling learners and addresses the challenges that students with disabilities may have. It also provides free and reduced lunches and additional teachers in disadvantaged communities. -
Pennsylvania Association of Retarded Children v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
In this case of PARC v. Pennsylvania, the Court ruled that all children with disabilities have a right to a free public education and indicated that each child must be offered an individualized education and they should be placed in the least restrictive environment as possible. I included PARC, because before PARC brought a lawsuit to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, children who were not at a mental age of five years by the start of first grade were not allowed in public schools. -
Mills v. Board of Education
Mills brought a civil case against the District of Columbia Public School system on the behalf of seven special needs children who were denied public education because the Board claimed that they were unable to endure the extra cost it would require to educate these "special needs" children. This was an important event because the District Court ruled that the public school system could not exclude any child from a free education. -
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
Is a civil rights law that protects those with disabilities from being discriminated against in school, work, or any other setting. I felt that this was important because it was the first Federal funding of State programs for students who are gifted and talented, which allowed schools to provide programming for the exceptional learners. This was the first comprehensive act that aided to those with disabilities in the equal rights of all public facilities. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
This act reversed the past practices of removing physically and mentally handicapped children from their homes and placing them in facilities. The EAHCA insisted that in order for states to receive Federal funds they were to ensure that all handicapped children have access to a free and appropriate education. This required IEPs to be developed and conducted in the least restrictive of environments. The law provided a continuing flow of funds for public schools to provide such education. -
Education For All Handicapped Children Act Enacted
The Education For All Handicapped Children Act took effect. I think this is important because it shows how long it takes the act, which was signed in 1975, to actually take effect. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IDEA extended special education services to include social work, assistive technology, and rehabilitation services and added two new categories of disability: autism and traumatic brain injury. It also required states to provide bilingual education, programs to educate students with disabilities for transition to employment, and to provide these transitional services. -
American with Disabilities Act
I thought this was a big milestone for individuals with disabilities because it is the first legislation, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the private sector. It enforces equal opportunity to employment and public services, accommodations, transportation and communication. -
No Child Left Behind
This law was enacted to ensure that every child receives a proper education. It requires states to have their own academic standards that will lead to their students being proficient in reading and math. States also have to provide annual assessments of their students and show yearly progress in their education services. This law holds schools and educators responsible for bringing students to a minimum level of competency and provides a framework on how to improve educational performance. -
New Individuals With Disabilities Education Act
The new amendment to the IDEA required assistance to be provided for infants and toddlers with disabilities. It also puts accountability on the state and local district levels. Schools are now required to provide adequate instruction and intervention for students to keep them in the general education room as long as possible. Asessments and standards have to be met as well. This new act increased federal funds to provide early intervention services.
