Historical Events in Special Education before and after IDEA

By michaelaellis

  • OSEP was created

    Congress created a Bureau of Education for the Handicapped later named Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Little change happens early but it indicated change was approaching.
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    Major Events in Special Education

  • Equal Education was created

    Two landmark decisions made through the Supreme Court decide that children with disabilities should have an equal right to access education. Mills v. D.C. Board of Education & PARC v. Pennsylvania

  • FERPA law was passed

    The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is passed allowing parents access to all personal information used by the school regarding their child

  • EAHCA (IDEA) was passed.

    An Act that allows all school districts to educate students with disabilities, called the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA), is passed. It is later amended and renamed as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990.

  • Rules were created for providing education to children with disabilities

    The final federal regulations are passed and require school districts to adhere to a set of rules when providing education to children with disabilities.

  • Parental advocacy groups are formed

    Parental advocacy groups are formed to push for federal help in the hope of fair educational opportunities for their children with disabilities

  • Amricans with Disabilities Act is enacted

    Americans with Disabilities Act is enacted allowing disabled children to become more common place in school districts and gives parents and children certain rights under IDEA.

  • The No Child Left Behind law was enacted

    The No Child Left Behind law becomes enacted calling for ALL students to become proficient in reading and math by the year 2014