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Brown Vs. Board of Education
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_brown.htmlThis event dealt with the argument that African-American children had the right to equal educational opportunities. This helped to eliminate segregated schools and enforce that they have no place in the field of public education. This was monumental not only for segregated schools, but is also helped parents of children with disabilities began to bring lawsuits against their school districts for excluding and segregating children with disabilities. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
http://www.k12.wa.us/esea/Congress enacted the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 1965. The reasoning for this was to address the inequality of educational opportunity for underprivileged children and that every child should have equal access. This milestone legislation delivered resources to help ensure that disadvantaged students had access to quality education. This eventually led to various amendments which became very important to special education. -
PARC v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
http://futureofchildren.org/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=57&articleid=338§ionid=2259Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) dealt with the exclusion of children with mental retardation from public schools. This association fought a law that denied services who did not attain a mental age of 5 years. Eventually, the state agreed to provide full access to a free public education to children with mental retardation up to age 21. -
Congressional Investigation
http://www.ncd.gov/publications/2005/08092005After the cases of PARC and Mills, congress launched an investigation into the status of children with disabilities among the public schools. They found that millions of children were not receiving an appropriate education, and realized that they needed to find a solution. This helped students with exceptionalities to not be forced into an institution. -
Mills v Board of Education
http://futureofchildren.org/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=57&articleid=338§ionid=2259This was when seven children with a variety of mental and behavioral disabilities sued against the District of Columbia public schools. Schools had refused to enroll students exclusively on the basis of their disability. An estimated 12,340 children with disabilities within the district's boundaries were not served because of budget constraints. The District Court ruled that school districts were prohibited from deciding that they had inadequate resources to serve children with disabilities. -
Public Law 94-142: The Education for All Handicapped Children Act
http://www.ncd.gov/publications/2005/08092005 This law provided handicapped children and adults ages 3-21 be educated in a least restrictive environment. Meaning that they are educated with children who are not handicapped. Also, that special classes, separate schools, or other removal of children from their regular educational environment happens only when the severity of the handicap is too extreme that education in regular classroom settings cannot be achieved. -
No Child Left Behind
https://www.k12.wa.us/esea/NCLB.aspxThis law emphasizes assessment and accountability, and requires states to demonstrate Adequate Yearly Progress in student achievement. This law requires the participation of students with disabilities in statewide or districtwide testing. The NCLB supports standards-based education reform for both students regular and special education students. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
http://www.ncld.org/disability-advocacy/learn-ld-laws/idea/what-is-ideaThis acts has two primary purposes. The first drive is to provide an education that meets a child’s unique needs and prepares the child for further education, employment, and independent living. The encouragement of students being able transfer their education to life skills is a goal. The second purpose is to protect the rights of both children with disabilities and their parents.
