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School programs for children with disabilities became common around the 1900's. More populated cities were the pioneers of such schools. The programs included schools for blind and sight impaired students, deaf or hearing impaired students, and intellectually impaired students. https://ejournalofdisabilitylawandpolicy.wordpress.com/article/the-first-one-hundred-years-of-special-1y94ijr3ii5zl-2/ -
The Supreme Court ruled that state sanctioned or state required segregation based on characteristics uncontrollable by the individual as unconstitutional. Brown v. Board of Education paved the way for future advocates to have federal legislation to strengthen their stance. This ruling sparked the fight for students with disabilities to receive FAPE. https://spedlawblog.com/2019/07/20/brown-v-board-of-education-1954-and-the-development-of-special-education/ -
This law ruled that students with disabilities should be given ”adequate alternative educational services” within their school district. Mills v Board of Education required schools to continuously review the necessity and adequacy of any alternative education. It also laid the foundations used for IEPs by requiring data on students needing separate accommodations. https://cmcglynnportfolio.weebly.com/mills-v-board-of-education-and-its-effect-on-the-field-of-special-eduction.html -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act guaranteed access to a free, appropriate, public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities. With this law, Congress required any public school receiving federal funding to provide FAPE to students with mental and physical disabilities. This law also required a free meal be provided to help ease the burdens placed on families. -
The results of this case further defined “appropriate” education for students with disabilities. Access to appropriate education was not defined as the “best” access but rather adequate access to accommodations that would enable students to perform sufficiently. The ruling clarified that support was required but not to the maximum benefit of the student. -
This was an amendment to the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. PL 99-475 included younger children, three to five years old, with disabilities in the right to free appropriate public education. The amendment included programs from birth to two years to aid in early intervention of children with disabilities. -
The Americans with Disabilities Act further broadened protections for people with disabilities. This law prohibits discrimination of people with disabilities whether or not federal funding is provided. Employers could no longer deny employment based on disability. -
Originally referred to as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act ensured that students with disabilities are provided with free appropriate public education. Notably, this law stated that no child with disabilities could be excluded from education. It also established the right to the least restrictive environment while continuing to make progress -
A group of educators gathered at Columbia University with the goal of creating professional teaching standards for students with disabilities. Elizabeth Farrell, founder of the Council of Exceptional Children, was the first person to teach a special education class in an American Public School. Farrell and her team created the first standard for teaching students with exceptionalities in America. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBGRWaE4Y1Q -
This law was designed to help measure progress of students within school districts. The most major change in this law was the implementation of statewide assessments. These assessments measured the yearly progress in school districts and set a standard for every child to achieve regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or disability. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act expounded upon IDEA. IDEIA implements a continuum of educational services available to children with disabilities based on the least restrictive service to the student. The focus of this law is ensuring a research based approach to making educational decisions for students with disabilities.