Timeline: Historical Special Education Timeline

May 17, 1954

Brown v. Board of Education

A historical court case that overturned Plessy v. Ferguson case that "separate is not equal". This case also formatted advocate groups to inform the need of special education programs.

Jan 1, 1965

Elementary and Secondary Education Act

ESEA gave grants to state school sand institutions that put programs into place to educate students with disabilities.

Oct 8, 1971

Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

PARC v. Penn called for students with disabilities to be placed in public funded schools that met their individual educational needs, based on proper evaluation.

Dec 17, 1971

Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Colombia

This act was ruled as unlawful for the D.C. Board of Education to deny students who were classified as "Exceptional" (mental and learning disabilities and behavioral issues) to access to publicly funded educational opportunity.

Sep 26, 1973

Section 504

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act allows protection from educational discrimination of students with special needs and disabilities.

1975

Least Restrictive Environment

LRE ensures that all students has social experiences.Student with IEPs must also be in as many regular education classes as permitted.

1975

Education for All Handicapped Children Act

This act ensured that children with disabilities were educated in public schools. EAHCA required schools to provide special education services for children ages 3-21, provide supplemental services, due process, zero reject, least restrictive environment, and parent involvement.

1982

Board of Education of HHCD v. Rowley

A two-part test that determine whether FAPE and IDEA has been met for students with IEPs.

Aug 6, 1986

Handicapped Children's Protection Act

A law that gave parents of children with disabilities a voice to advocate for their child in the development of the IEP.

Jul 26, 1990

Americans with Disabilities Act

This act was signed by former president Bush and promised that individuals with special needs would have the same rights as everyone else and cannot be discriminated against in schools, the workplace, and in everyday society.

Oct 30, 1990

IDEA

Signed by former president Bush as well, this law includes the 6 key principles which are FAPE, LRE, IEP, evaluation, family involvement, and safe guard procedures for students.