Important Events in the History of Special Education in the United States
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Civil Rights Act of 1866
Civil Rights Act declared "all persons born in the United States to be citizens without distinction of race or color, or previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude." This Act became a stepping stone for a domino effect of future legislation to come, benefiting or inclusive to Special Education. -
NARC
The originally named (NARC) National Association for Retarded Children, is the first organization curated by parent groups around the country for the aid of "at risk" children with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Today, the organization assists and represents all individuals with disabilities; it is presently known as The Arc of the United States (The Arc).
Link: https://thearc.org/about-us/history/ -
Brown v. Board of Education
The Supreme Court ruled that the segregation of children in public schools based on their race was unconstitutional. This event lead to the fight of many parents whose children were segregated and discriminated against due to their disability. Parents began to sue their school districts for excluding their children.
Video Link: https://youtu.be/FwxprgouAYU -
ESEA
Elementary and Secondary Education Act; Congress authorized this legislation so that disadvantaged children can have access to quality education. It promoted and enacted grants, programs, and projects for the education of handicapped children. -
PARC and Mills
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was sued by the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens, based on a law that permitted public schools the authority to revoke free education to children who had reached the age of 8 but had not reached the mental age of 5. One of the lawsuit settlements is that educational placement decisions have to include parental participation. Mills v. Board of Education of District of Columbia dealt with the expulsion and suspension of children with disabilities. -
Public Law 94-142
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 permitted that all handicapped children had a right to education and due process. Congress enacted that "State and local educational agencies may be held accountable for providing educational services for all handicapped children.” The Act has been revised several times including procedural security meant to protect the rights of children and their parents. -
IDEA Compliance Report
The National Council on Disability released a report of federal data concluding that "Federal efforts to enforce the law over several administrations have been inconsistent, ineffective..." the data showed that many schools were putting students of special needs in separate classrooms and were not following state regulations. The report also brought to light how difficult the process was for parents to have resolve and that they often had to sue to have their laws enforced. -
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act was a bipartisan reform set to push schools through a new accountability system. The law expired in 2007 and is known based on the fact that schools did not come close to achieving the 100 percent proficiency mandate that the Act ambitiously set in place. -
IDEA
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 was reauthorized and amended from what was previously known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. With IDEA 2004 congress enhanced their attention on accountability. "The first purpose is to provide an education that meets a child's unique needs and prepares the child for further education, employment, and independent living. Second to that, is to protect the rights of both children with disabilities and their parents" -
ESSA
The Every Student Succeeds Act replaced the NCLB and its controversial stipulations. ESSA emphasizes that States have to create plans for improving their schools that are struggling, continuing annual standardized testing while providing accommodations for students with an IEP or 504 plan, upholding accountability and funding the Literacy Education Grant Program, which aids with phonological awareness.
