Historical Timeline of Special Education

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

May 17, 1954

Separate is NOT equal

Community Mental Health Act

Oct 31, 1963

PL 88-164

Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Apr 9, 1965

PL 89-10

Handicapped Children's Early Education Assistance Act

Sep 20, 1968

PL 90-538
What the President said about the Act

Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

May 4, 1972

Students with disabilities have a right to education

Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia

Aug 1, 1972

Students with disabilities have a right to a FAPE

Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Sep 26, 1973

PL 93-112

Goss v. Lopez

Jan 22, 1975

No 10-suspensions for students with disabilities

Education for All Handicapped Children Act

Nov 29, 1975

PL 94-142
Article about the Act

Hairston v. Drosick

Jan 14, 1976

Students with disabilities should not be excluded from general education classrooms without the proper procedures

Larry P. v. Riles

Oct 16, 1979

IQ test scores do not determine a student's placement in special education... different cultural and linguistic backgrounds need to be considered

Jose P. v. Ambach

Dec 20, 1979

Respect dual-language backgrounds when evaluating and identifying bilingual children with exceptionalities

Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley

Jun 28, 1982

FAPE for the Deaf student, emphasis on A... no sign language interpeters

Handicapped Children's Protection Act

Aug 5, 1986

PL 99-372

Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986

Oct 8, 1986

PL 99-457

Honig v. Doe

Jan 20, 1988

State must provide services directly to students when they are not made available and students with an IEP can be suspended only they pose a threat to themselves/other

The Jacob Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act

Apr 28, 1988

PL 100-297

Polk v. Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16

Jul 26, 1988

Special education services must be better than the minimum, but not necessarily optimal

Americans with Disabilities Act

Jul 26, 1990

PL 101-336

Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act

Sep 25, 1990

PL 101-392

Barnett v. Fairfax County Board of Education

Jan 28, 1991

Send the student to a different school in the district that meets their needs

Greer v. Rome City School District

Dec 26, 1991

Consider the needs of the student... Inclusion does not take precedence

Oberti v. Board of Education of the Borough of Clementon School District

May 28, 1993

School district has to prove that full inclusion is hindering the learning of all students... Otherwise, include as much as possible
More information

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997

Jun 4, 1997

PL 105-17

No Child Left Behind Act

Jan 8, 2002

PL 107-110

JP Ex Rel. Popson v. West Clark Community Schools

Nov 19, 2002

School district must provide services that prevent regressions so students can make progress

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004

Dec 3, 2004

PL 108-446

Henrico County School Board v. R.T.

May 26, 2006

Tuition was reimbursed for this family

Combating Autism Act

Dec 19, 2006

PL 109-416

Mr. I. Ex Rel. L.I. v. Maine School Administrative District No. 55

Mar 5, 2007

Education includes physical, social, and emotional needs

Winkleman v. Parma City School District

May 21, 2007

Parents of students with disabilities can go to court without a lwayer to challenge the IEP

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Feb 17, 2009

PL 111-5

Forest Grove School District v. T.A.

Jun 22, 2009

Emphasis on F in FAPE... parents can receive private school tuition reimbursement if the public school services failed to provide FAPE

Drobnicki v. Poway Unified School District

Nov 9, 2009

Parents must be involved in IEP planning, and therefore, must be present

21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act

Oct 8, 2010

PL 111-260

Every Student Succeeds Act

Dec 10, 2015

PL 114-95