History of Special Education

  • Council for Education of Exceptional Children is founded

    Started by an organized meeting at the Teacher’s College at Columbia University set up to discuss ways teachers could brainstorm and work together.
  • Brown v. the Board of Education

    Found that segregation of schools was unlawful. Opened the doorway for other civil rights groups to demand fair and equal public education.
  • PARC v. the Commonwealth of PA

    Was the first education lawsuit establishing the right for public education for mental retarded students which helped paved the way for the Mills v. Board of Education.
  • The Civil Rights Act

    The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a landmark civil rights and US labor law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
  • The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965-

    President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the first federal grant program specifically for youth with disabilities
  • EAHCA Reauthorized

    Early intervention is added.
  • Mills v. Board of Education

    Landmark case that declared schools could not turn away students using the excuse of lack of funds and resources.
  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

    Provides for equal access to public facilities and protects individuals from discrimination due to their disability.
  • The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975

    “Requires that vocational education be provided for students with disabilities” (NASET, 2018)
  • Hendrick Hudson Central School District Board of Education v. Rowley

    Parents sought to add additional services to their child’s IEP and the Federal Court decided the school was providing a meaningful education and no additional services were needed.
  • Irving Independent School District v. Tatro

    Supreme Court ruled that the school must provide the medical service (catheter) so that the child could receive free and appropriate education.
  • Burlington School Committee v. Department of Education of Massachusetts

    Supreme Court ruled that reimbursement to attend private school was legal if the public school was not providing free and appropriate education.
  • HonIg v. Doe

    Found that students with disabilities could not be excluded from school due to behavioral issues.
  • ADA

    “Broadened Section 504 to include public accommodations, employment and transportation and telecommunications"
  • OBERTI V. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE BOROUGH OF CLEMENTON

    This case established that if placement outside the classroom is necessary, the school district must then include the child in as many school programs with children who do not have disabilities “to the maximum extent appropriate.”
  • GASKIN V. COMMONWEALTH

    We filed the lawsuit Gaskin v. Commonwealth on June 30, 1994, seeking to increase the number of children with disabilities educated with their non-disabled peers, and to make sure schools provided real supports to make sure inclusion would work as required by the IDEA.
  • IDEA

    Added developmentally delayed to the definition of disabled and required parents to work with LEA's to settle disagreements.
  • No Child Left Behind

    Set up procedures and standards for schools to close achievement gaps focusing on students who are disadvantaged such as special needs students. Assessments are done using state testing.