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Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education was the first significant court case to influence special education. In Brown v. Board of Education, it was determined that segregation on the basis of race violated equal educational opportunity. The Brown decision led the way to a growing understanding that all people, regardless of race, gender, or disability have a right to a public education. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) https://www.naesp.org/sites/default/files/resources/1/Principal/2008/N-Oweb2.pdf -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) was originally passed as part of the Lyndon B. Johnson administration’s War on Poverty campaign. The original goal of the law, which remains today, was to improve educational equity for students from lower-income families by providing federal funds to school districts serving poor students. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) https://blog.ed.gov/2015/04/what-is-esea/ -
Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
A landmark case that began a series of court decisions in favor of children with exceptionalities and their right to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) The outcome affirmed the rights that a child with disabilities cannot be excluded from school without careful due process, and it is the responsibility of the schools to provide appropriate programs for all children who are different. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) https://disabilityjustice.org/right-to-education/ -
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
A civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Section 504 requires that school districts provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to qualified students in their jurisdictions who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) http://www.parentcenterhub.org/section504/ -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act was designed to assure that all handicapped children have available to them a free appropriate public education which emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-89/pdf/STATUTE-89-Pg773.pdf -
Larry P. v. Riles
Children should not be labeled "handicapped" or placed into special education without adequate diagnosis that takes into account different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The courts ruled that IQ tests had a discriminatory effect and resulted in disproportionate EMR placement. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) http://www.nasponline.org/publications/periodicals/spr/volume-9/volume-9-issue-2 -
Board of Education v. Rowley
A child with disabilities is entitled to an appropriate, not an optimum, education. The Rowley decision was the first court decision that suggested that there was a limit to the resources that children with exceptionalities could expect. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/458/176/ -
Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986
Despite its name, The Education for All Handicapped Children Act did not include services for children starting at birth. The Education of the Handicapped Act Amendment of 1986 provided federal funds for states to develop plans and programs for children and their families from birth on. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-100/pdf/STATUTE-100-Pg1145.pdf -
Polk v. Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16
A subsequent case to the Rowley decision made it clear that such services, though not optimal, must provide sufficient support so the child with disabilities can benefit educationally. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) http://usedulaw.com/300-free-appropriate-public-education.html -
Greer v. Rome City School District
A child with Down syndrome was placed in general education rather than in a special education class because of the presumed priority of inclusion in IDEA. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) http://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/unpub/files/201512862.pdf -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992 extends civil rights to persons with disabilities. These rights are guaranteed without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, or religion through the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) https://adata.org/factsheet/ADA-overview -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001
The purpose of the No Child Left Behind Act was to hold schools and educators responsible for bringing student to a minimum level of competency. (www.understood.org) https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/your-childs-rights/basics-about-childs-rights/no-child-left-behind-nclb-what-you-need-to-know -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (IDEA 2004)
IDEA 2004 is the reauthorization of the original legislation (Education for All Handicapped Children Act) designed to strengthen and improve earlier versions. Some of the changes include quality of personnel, IEP standards, transition planning, as well as funding to support elements that provide quality special education. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) http://www.apa.org/advocacy/education/idea/index.aspx -
Henrico County School Board v. R.T
A child with autism was awarded reimbursement for private school costs because the judge found that the public school system knowingly and repeatedly failed to provide an appropriate educational program. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) http://autismbulletin.blogspot.com/2006/05/court-victory-for-virginia-parents-of.html -
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
The main goal of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was stimulate economic activity in a number of areas, including education, to ensure the long time economic health of our nation. This resulted in large funds provided to states under IDEA on a one time basis to improve the delivery and quality of early intervention services. (Educating Exceptional Children, 2014) https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/factsheet/overview.html?exp=1 -
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is the main law for K–12 public education in the United States. It replaced No Child Left Behind. ESSA is a complex law, and it affects all students in public schools. The main purpose of ESSA is to make sure public schools provide a quality education for all kids. (www.ed.gov) https://www.ed.gov/essa?src=rn