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Rhode Island opened the first public special education class in the U.S.
As teachers in public schools became aware of the increasing numbers of students with learning disabilities, Rhode Island opened the first public special education class in the U.S. in 1896. By 1923, almost 34,000 students were in special education classes.
https://mn.gov/mnddc/parallels/four/4d/10.html -
First meeting of the Arc organization
In 1950, a small group of parents and other concerned individuals came together to act as voices for change. At the time, little was known about the condition of intellectual disability (at the time referred to as ‘mental retardation’) or its causes. There were virtually no programs and activities in communities to assist in the development and care of children and adults with intellectual disability or to support families.
http://www.thearc.org/who-we-are/history -
Training of Professional Personnel Act of 1959
There are numerous illustrations of key early Federal legislation that supported improved programs and services. Outstanding examples include the Training of Professional Personnel Act of 1959 (PL 86-158), which helped train leaders to educate children with mental retardation. -
Ed Roberts began the Disability Rights Movement
Ed Roberts, a post-polio quadriplegic, entered the University of California at Berkeley in 1964 and effectively began the Disability Rights Movement.
Roberts, who was the first Berkeley student to rely on a wheelchair when he arrived in 1962, is recognized as the father of the independent living movement for people with disabilities and special needs. He died in 1995. -
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act
ESEA is an extensive statute that funds primary and secondary education, emphasizing high standards and accountability. As mandated in the act, funds are authorized for professional development, instructional materials, resources to support educational programs, and the promotion of parental involvement.
https://www2.ed.gov/documents/essa-act-of-1965.pdf
Signing of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 4/11/65 video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQzCV1UdPLc -
Special Olympics first take place in Chicago
The first International Special Olympics Summer Games are held at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, USA. A thousand people with intellectual disabilities from 26 U.S. states and Canada compete in track and field, swimming and floor hockey.
http://www.specialolympics.org/Sections/What_We_Do/Our_History.aspx
Special Olympics Chicago 40th Anniversary video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14DSTLvxiis -
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was the first major legislative effort to secure an equal playing field for individuals with disabilities. This legislation provides a wide range of services for persons with physical and cognitive disabilities. Those disabilities can create significant barriers to full and continued employment, the pursuit of independent living, self-determination, and inclusion in American society. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed by Congress in 1990, is the nation's first comprehensive civil rights law addressing the needs of people with disabilities, prohibiting discrimination in employment, public services, public accommodations, and telecommunications.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq0pBEJoCvY&t=26s -
IDEA reauthorization 1997
This Act strengthens academic expectations and accountability for the nation's 5.8 million children with disabilities and bridges the gap that has too often existed between what children with disabilities learn and what is required in regular curriculum. It also mandates that schools report progress to parents of children with disabilities as frequently as they report to parents of non-disabled children.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oii/nonpublic/idea1.html -
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was signed into law on Jan. 8, 2002. It guarantees the quality of public education for all children in the United States putting emphasis on increased funding for poor school districts, higher achievement for poor and minority students, and new measures to hold schools accountable for their students' progress.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/12/10/every-student-succeeds-act-vs-no-child-left-behind-whats-changed/77088780/ -
IDEA reauthorization 2004
On December 3, 2004, President Bush signed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, a major reauthorization and revision of IDEA. The new law preserves the basic structure and civil rights guarantees of IDEA but also makes significant changes in the law.
IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: History and Summary video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XMndYNEGFA
