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Story of Special Education begins in the early part pf the 20th Century
parents formed advocacy groups to help bring the educational needs of children with disabilities to the public eye -
Special Education classes enacted in school system
Schools were no longer allowed to ignore intellectually disabled students -
President's Panel on Mental Retardation (PARC)
-President John F. Kennedy created the PARC
-Recommendations included federal aid to states -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
-signed by Lyndon B. Johnson
-provided funding for primary education
-seen by advocacy groups as expanding access to public education for children with disabilities -
Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania was no longer allowed to deny any exceptional child a free education ages 6-21 -
PARC and Mills v. Board of Education of District of Columbia
helped lay the foundation that eventually led to the passage of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) -
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
-prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability
-Section 504 prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities and guarantees them a free and appropriate education (FAPE) -
Public Law 94-142 The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA)
The right to public education for all children regardless of disability -
EHA was reformulated as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Schools are required to provide individual or special education for children with qualifying disabilities -
IDEA reauthorized
emphasized academic outcomes for students with disabilities -
IDEA 2004
-Congress increased the focus on accountability and improved outcomes
-Emphasizing reading, early intervention, and research-based instruction
-Provide an education that meets a child's unique needs and prepares the child for further education, employment, and independent living
-Protects the rights of both children with disabilities and their parents
