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The journey towards inclusive education for students with disabilities began long before the landmark legislation of the 1970s.
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The Supreme Court for Brown v. Board of Education made a rule that schools couldn't keep kids apart because of their race. This rule was important for kids with special needs, too. -
President Johnson made a new law. It was called the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. He wanted to help kids in school. The law said all kids should get the same chance to learn. It also gave money to schools. This money was to help kids who didn't have much. -
In the early 1970s, major legal cases started to transform education for students with disabilities.
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The District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled in favor of students with intellectual and learning disabilities who were in state-run institutions. The PARC v. Pennsylvania decision mandated that these students be placed in publicly funded school settings that could meet their specific educational needs, as determined by a proper and comprehensive evaluation. -
In the Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia case, they made a ruling that protected students who were considered 'exceptional.' This included students with mental and learning disabilities, as well as those with behavioral issues. The court's decision made it illegal for the D.C. Board of Education to prevent these students from accessing publicly funded educational opportunities. -
Court cases pushed education for disabled kids. Congress found that 8 million needed help; half got poor schooling, and 1.75 million got none. This led to laws for equal education.
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President Ford signed Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. It mandated that states receive federal funds to give disabled children equal education and a free daily meal. States had to enforce this in all public schools. YouTube -
Public Law 99-457 changed the All Handicapped Children Act. Now, states must provide services to families with disabled children from birth, not just from age three.
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EHA evolved into IDEA, incorporating early intervention, transition services, ADA protections, and increased parental involvement, all aimed at improving access to general education for students with disabilities.
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President Reagan's Handicapped Children’s Protection Act empowered parents with greater involvement in their child's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) development.
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Public Law 101-476 amended the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, adding traumatic brain injury and autism as disability categories and requiring Individual Transition Plans (ITPs) in IEPs for post-secondary life.
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The Education for All Handicapped Children's Act was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). President Clinton's reauthorization emphasized curriculum access for all students and expanded 'developmental delay' eligibility to include ages 6-9. -
The 1997 IDEA amendments focused on ensuring students with disabilities had greater access to the general education curriculum and strengthened parental involvement in their education.
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The 2004 IDEA Improvement Act aligned with No Child Left Behind, while ongoing debates persist regarding FAPE, inclusion, technology's impact, pandemic-related challenges, and equitable access through funding and training.
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IDEA was changed to boost early help, accountability, and teacher standards and to prevent the misplacement of minority students in special ed, allowing fund shifts. -
The Supreme Court ruled that parents must prove their child’s IEP is not good enough. This made it harder for families to win cases, giving schools an advantage. It became tougher for parents to get the services their children needed.
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The Supreme Court said schools have to give students with disabilities a good education, not just a little bit of help. This ruling is still causing arguments about how to make that happen. -
When schools closed, it was tough to give students with disabilities the help they needed. Schools are still trying to fix the problems caused by online learning.
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California, like many states, experiences a shortage of qualified special education teachers. This is especially true in certain regions and for specific disability categories.
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Even though IDEA promises federal money, it is often underfunded. Schools struggle to pay for special education services. This causes fewer resources, larger classes, and less help for students with disabilities. -
The student's parent felt the school district failed to follow IEPs, lacking needed aide help for reading, writing, math, behavior. They also argued for more testing after initial results showed problems.
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IDEA has helped students with disabilities get a better education by protecting their rights to FAPE and IEPs. However, problems like low funding, not enough teachers, and legal issues still make it hard to support students fully. More changes are needed to make sure all students get the help they need.