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A reformer in the 19th century, Dorothea Dix worked to improve the care of those with disabilities and mental illness. She pushed for the establishment of over 30 hospitals and charitable facilities by state legislatures and Congress. Her campaign raised awareness across the country on the need for underrepresented groups to receive respect, care, and education.
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/dorothea-dix -
The first Deaf higher education school, Gallaudet College (now Gallaudet University), was founded in 1864 when President Abraham Lincoln approved its charter. Edward Miner Gallaudet founded it, and it has since grown to become a national model for inclusiveness and access. In terms of Deaf advocacy, education, and culture, Gallaudet remains a global leader today.
https://gallaudet.edu/about/history-traditions/? -
Federal funds were made available for vocational training in trades, industry, and agriculture by the Smith-Hughes Act. It was among the first major investments made on secondary public education. Career and technical education were shaped in part by this statute, which made sure that schools equipped students for jobs that supported the developing American economy. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs93/93442.pdf? -
Ensuring that education was a universal right, compulsory attendance legislation demanded that children attend school until a certain age. Across the United States, these legislation increased literacy and decreased child labor. By requiring involvement, states reinforced the notion that education was critical to both economic development and democracy.
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED436445 -
Plessy v. Ferguson was overturned in this historic Supreme Court decision, which declared "separate but equal" schools to be unconstitutional. Desegregation in all public schools was made possible by Brown v. Board, which also supported the civil rights movement. It stated that all children are entitled to equal educational opportunities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=TTGHLdr-iak https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/brown-v-board-of-education -
Significant government funding for enhancing educational opportunities for underprivileged students was made available by the ESEA. By creating obligations and assisting schools in underprivileged communities, it placed an intense focus on equity. The legislation paved the way for later changes such as the Every Student Succeeds Act and the No Child Left Behind Act.
https://www.ed.gov/search?search_api_fulltext=esea+1965 -
This case questioned Mexican-American student placement in special education because of biased English IQ tests. In order to guarantee accuracy, the court decided that children must be evaluated in their nativelanguage. In addition to protecting English language learners from discrimination, the ruling encouraged independence in assessment. https://leadership.acsa.org/disproportionality-of-latinx-students-special-ed -
People with disabilities were protected by one of the earliest federal civil rights legislation, Section 504. It made it illegal to discriminate in any program that received government funding, including public schools. It encouraged diversity in education by requiring schools to offer reasonable accommodations, such accessible facilities or personalized education. https://www.ed.gov/search?search_api_fulltext=SECTION+504+REHABILITATION+ACT -
Children with disabilities were granted free appropriate public education (FAPE) under this law, which was also known as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Besides providing education in the least restrictive environment (LRE), it mandated that schools develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for every student. Event of Inclusion #1
https://sites.ed.gov/idea/about-idea/ https://www.wrightslaw.com/law/art/history.spec.ed.law.htm -
The Supreme Court held that due process must be followed before students with disabilities are expelled for actions connected to their condition.
https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/484/305/ -
Children with disabilities must, wherever possible, be included in general education classes, according to this court ruling. It reinforced IDEA's notion of the least restrictive environment (LRE). Before considering limiting placements, schools must offer support services, as the Court made clear. Second Inclusion Event
https://pubintlaw.org/cases-and-projects/oberti-v-board-of-education-of-the-borough-of-clementon/ -
For students with disabilities, an IEP must offer more than basic development, according to a Supreme Court decision. For students to make real academic and functional progress, schools must design programs that are "reasonably calculated." The national bar for special education and student achievement have been raised by this ruling. https://www.oyez.org/cases/2016/15-827