Important Court Decisions Impacting Special Education

By miobound

  • Board of Education of Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley, 458 U.S. 176 (1982) This case allowed the Supreme Court set a standard defining a Free Appropriate Public Education.

    Amy Rowley was very bright, but deaf.. Initially, the school district agreed to provide an interpreter, but later changed their mind. The parents took the district to due process, but they lost. They continued the fight on to the federal courts, where the parents won. The school district the took it to the Supreme Court. Even though Amy and her family lost, the Supreme Court set a standard defining a Free Appropriate Public Education.
    Please see: https://youtu.be/ZnMf1rzGzIg

  • Honig v. Doe, 484 U.S. 305 (1998) This case upheld the families request to stop expeling children with behavior issues. Schools must now find a way to deal with them, as often their special need is one that concerns behaviors..

    This case removed a school's unilateral authority to suspend or expel a student with an I.E.P., for more that 10 days unless the infraction included weapons, drugs, or serious bodily injury. The school needs to get a ruling from a court or hearing officer in those cases.
    For more information: Link text https://youtu.be/BlX1wGBT3bo

  • Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, (2017) This case gave the US Supreme Court an opportunity to define what special education must provide to the children it educates. They need to make signifigant progress.

    In an 8-0 decision the Supreme Court ruled that schools must provide a meaningful education to all children, one that shows significant progress and offers the same opportunities as typical children. Disabled children must receive an education that results in more than "some improvement". More information: https://youtu.be/BlX1wGBT3bo