-
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
It ensures that the "federal government will protect and provide for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, so they will have equal access to the public education system." Two of the act's other influential points are: "it includes provisions for free and reduced lunches and additional teachers in disadvantaged communities, and it applies to children who need additional support to benefit from public school education programs." (Vaughn, Bos, Schumm) -
Vocational Rehabilitation Act (VRA)
This act allows for equal opportunities and provisions for people with disabilities. It "prevents any private organization that uses federal funds, from discriminating against persons with disabilties solely on the basis of their disability." This act also defines "handicapped person and appropriate education." (Vaughn, Bos, Schumm) -
Educational Amendments Act
This act has three main points that revolve around funding for students that are exceptional learners and gifted and talented learners. The three main points are: "It grants federal funds to states for programming for exceptional learners, it provides the first federal funding of state programs for students who are gifted and talented, and it grants students and families the rights of due process in special education placement." (Vaughn, Bos, Schumm) -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA)
This act is known as the Mainstreaming Law. It was the first act to define "leat restrictive environment." This act also "requires states to provide a free and appropriate public education for children with disabilities (ages 5 to 18) and it requires individualized education programs (IEPs)." (Vaughn, Bos, Schumm) -
Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments
This act allows for younger children with disabilities to receive assistance. This act "requires states to extend free and appropriate education to children with disabilties (ages 3 to 5)." It also "establishes early intevention programs for infants and toddlers with disabilties (ages birth to 2 years)." (Vaughn, Bos, Schumm) -
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
This in another influential act that deals with discrimination. It "prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in a private sector." It also "protects equal opportunity to employment and public services, accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications." It also "defines "disability" to include people with AIDS." (Vaughn, Bos, Schumm) -
Individuals woth Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
It "establishes 'people first language'." It "extends special education services to include social work, assistive technology, and rehabilitation services; it extends provisions for due process and confidentiality for students and parents." It "adds two new categories of disability: autism and tramatic brain injury." "It requires states to educate students with disabilities for transition to employment and to provide transition services. (Vaughn, Bos, Schumm) -
Individuals with Disabilties Act (IDEA)
It "requires that students with disabilities continue to receive services, even if they are expelled from school." It "requires schools to assume greater responsibility for ensuring that students with disabilities have access to the general education curriculum." It "requires a general educator teacher to be a member of the IEP team." It also "requires students with disabilities to take part in statewide and districtwide assessments." (Vaughn, Bos, Schumm) -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
This act "improves performance by increasing school, district, and state accountability for all students, including those from minority popluations and those with special needs." It also "provides more flexibility in how states use federal funds as long as standards of accountability are met." "It offers school choice for students enrolled in failing schools, and it implements early reading interventions." (Vaughn, Bos, Schumm) -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA)
This act "allows districts to use a response-to-intervention (RTI) model for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability." It "increases federal funds to provide early intervention services to students who do not need special education or related services and it eliminates use of short--term objectives in an IEP." It also "raises standards for special education liscensure." (Vaughn, Bos, Schumm)
