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In this landmark court case, the supreme court determined that separate education for African American students was not equal education. It was decided that the concept of "separate but equal" has no place in public education. This was a very important case for the future of special education. It provided parents of children with disabilities the constitutional right to press for equal education opportunities for their children. (Arons, n.d.)
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ESEA has been one of the most far-reaching federal legislation involving education to be passed. This act provided federal funding to primary and secondary education for professional development, instructional materials and resources. "The act emphasizes equal access to education, aiming to shorten the achievement gaps between students by providing federal funding to support schools with children from impoverished families." (Wikipedia,2020)
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In this case, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was sued by PARC over a law that gave public schools the ability to deny free education to children who reached the age of 8 but didn't reach the mental age of 5. The argument, in this case, was that children with intellectual disabilities would not benefit from public education. The court ruled this law unconstitutional. This was the first major case to provide equal education to students with disabilities. (Wikipedia, 2021)
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This act was famous for ensuring that all schools accepting federal funds must provide equal access to education for all students including those with physical or mental disabilities. Besides providing equal education, this act made it mandatory for public schools to evaluate the students and create individualized education plans which were similar to their nondisabled peers. This act paved the way for special education today. (Brandman University, 2020)
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This act builds upon the Education for all Handicapped Children Act The HCPA adds a clause that ensures that children receive FAPE from birth to five years of age. Additionally, it ensures that educators of children with disabilities keep parents well-informed of any decisions involving their child. This is a crucial aspect of the parent-teacher relationship and enables them to work together to benefit the child. (Craft, 2016)
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The Supreme court ruled that a California school had violated the EAHCA by suspending a student for behavior that was caused by their disability. The court also said that the state must provide services to students with disabilities if the local school board is failing to do so. This was an important case since schools must provide proper services to students with disabilities and they should not be able to suspend students for acting out in relation to their disability. (Steketee, 2021)
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IDEA is an act that ensures that all children with disabilities are provided with free appropriate public education. This act was previously known as EAHCA. IDEA has six main components. Individualized Education Program (IEP); Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE); Least Restrictive Environment (LRE); Appropriate Evaluation; Parent and Teacher Participation; and Procedural Safeguards. Today over six million children in the U.S are receiving services through IDEA. (Wikipedia, 2021)
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This act was signed by President Bush and is one of "America's most comprehensive civil rights legislation" which prohibits discrimination and provides equal opportunities for all people including those with disabilities. (ADA.Gov, n.d.) In order to be protected under ADA one must have a disability which is defined by ADA as an impairment that limits major life activties.
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The NCLB act is an update of the ESEA and was signed by President Bush in 2001. This act ensures that schools are responsible for the academic progress of all students. Under this act, schools must test the students in order to identify struggling students and help close the gaps. This is important since it becomes the school's responsibility to bring all students to "proficient level" on state tests. (Klien, 2015)
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ESSA was signed by President Obama in 2015. The act protects America's disadvantaged and high-need students and ensures that all Americans are taught on high standards that will prepare them to succeed in life. This act also expects accountability for low-performing schools where children are not making progress. This act helped America get to where it is today where high school dropouts are at an all-time low and college graduate rates are at an all-time high. (U.S DOE, n.d.)