History of Special Education

First Compulsory Education Law in Massachusetts

1852

Massachusetts is the first state to enact a compulsory education law. Unfortunately, many of these laws left out children with disabilities
(Yell, Rogers and Rogers).

Watson v City of Cambridge

1893

This judgement that highlights the exclusion of disabled children from compulsory education laws. The Supreme Judicial Court ruled that a child "weak of mind" could be expelled from public school ( Yell, Rogers and Rogers).

The White House Conference of 1910

1910

This conference was the first to focus on the remedial schooling of children with disabilities. Societal perspectives also began to change at this time and they supported moving disabled children from institutional settings to segregated settings within the school building (Yell, Rogers and Rogers).

Beattie v Board of Education

1919

Even though steps were being taken to include disabled children in schools, this case was another step back. The Supreme Court in Wisconsin ruled that a disabled child could be excluded from school-even if that child had attended public school until the 5th grade! (Yell, Rogers and Rogers).

Council for Exceptional Children

1922

Founded by Elizabeth Farrill met to discuss the education of disabled children instead of classification, and establish standards for teachers working with these children (Yell, Roger and Roger).

First organization of advocacy groups for children with intellectual disability

1933

First advocacy group formed in Cuyahoga County, Ohio (Yell, Roger and Roger).

National Association for Retarded Citizens

1950

ARC was started by 42 parents and allies and has become a powerful organization-a leader in change for the disabled (Yell, Roger and Roger).

Civil Rights Movement

Period: 1950 to 1970

This movement, which established legislation that provided more protection and opportunity for minorities, also opened up legislation that helped people with disabilities (Yell, Rogers and Rogers).

Brown vs. Board of Education

1954

This case founded racial segregation negatively impacted the education of minorities-opening the door for similar reasoning relating to the education of the disabled (Yell, Roger and Roger).

Dept. of Public Welfare v. Haas

1958

Another set back in Illinois saying that the state did not need to educated disabled children(Yell, Roger and Roger).

Elementary and Secondary Education Act

1965

As part of this ACT, federal funding is provided to help states expand programs that help children living in poverty It was the first time federal aid was provided to help a specific group-thus changing the perspective and leading to eventual funding opportunities for the disabled (Yell, Roger and Roger).

Amendments to the ESEA Title VI

1966

Amended to provide funding for children with disabilities(Yell, Roger and Roger).

Education of the Handicapped Act

1970

The ESEA amendment becomes the Education of the Handicap Act-which will set the framework for IDEA and other legislation that will follow (Yell, Roger and Roger).

PARC vs Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

1972

This required Pennsylvania to provide a Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE) to students who were mentally handicapped (Yell, Rogers and Rogers).

Mills vs. Board of Education of the District of Columbia

1972

Compared the segregation and exclusion of disabled students with the illegality of racial segregation in schools. This lawsuit help DC schools accountable for educating disabled students (Yell, Roger and Roger).

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

1973

Keeps any program that receives federal funding from discriminating against someone with a disability (Yell, Roger and Roger).

Education Amendments of 1974

1974

made segregation because of disability illegal (Yell, Roger and Roger).

Education for all Handicapped Children Act

1975

To date-the most significant increase in the role of federal government and special education

• increased funding to states that educated children with disabilities -established FAPE for those who had disabilities -mandated the writing of IEPs for disabled students
• put in place procedural safeguards (Yell, Roger and Roger).

The Handicapped Children's Protection Act

1986

This ACT allowed parents to recover lawyer fees if they win a case that needed to go to due process (Yell, Roger and Roger).

Education of the Handicapped Amendments

1986

This created funding for early intervention services for children birth-age 2 and extended these services to children aged 3-5 in participating states (Yell, Rogers and Rogers).

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

1990

The Education for all Handicapped Children Act is renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Act.
-it includes new disabilities: traumatic brain injury and autism
-adds transition planning for students 16 and older
(Yell, Roger and Roger).

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments

1997

This amendment added:
-new IEP contents
-changed the IEP team model
-added disciplinary changes
-required mediation for parents before things go to due process
-reorganized the original IDEA
(Yell, Roger and Roger).

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act

2004

continued to improve IDEA by adding highly qualified educator status, removed short-term objectives for many students, added the response to intervention model and prohibited the discrepancy model for determining special education status (Yell, Roger and Roger).