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This was the first court case to influence special education. While the case was focused around racial segregation, it also shed light on people with disabilities. The decision was that racial segregation in schools infringed on an individual's right to an equal education. In addition to race, this ruling promoted the notion that everyone (no matter your gender, disability, religion, race, etc.) has the right to public education. -
This law declared that every student shall receive equal access to education. Additionally, it provided federal financial assistance to primary and secondary education for economically disadvantaged students. The ESEA was one of the first laws that worked toward equal educational opportunity for every student. -
Section 504 declared that no one with a disability can be denied the benefits of a program that gets financial assistance from the federal government. This federal law made discrimination against disability illegal. In addition to prohibiting discrimination in education, Section 504 included housing, employment, travel, hospitals, airports, and other services. -
This law requires public schools that get federal financial assistance to provide students with disabilities access to all food and educational programs. Before 1975, millions of disabled children weren't included in public schools nor receiving the appropriate education. This federal law made equal education a right rather than a privilege: it stated that disabled students be placed in the "least restrictive environment." IEP's (Individual Education Plans) were also first introduced to schools. -
This act gave parents access to their child's IEP; they were now allowed to take part in creating and implementing an education plan for their child. The HCPA permitted parents to take legal action if they thought their child's IEP was not appropriate. They have the right to a hearing under the State Education Department and to bring their case to state and federal court with all legal costs covered. This act also offers Early Intervention Programs for newborns and infants with disabilities.
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The ADA supported Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act in that services cannot be denied to someone due to discrimination against their disability. It provided civil rights protections to people with disabilities and expanded what business, services, and agencies have to do to comply with the accessibility aspect of the law. -
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 was amended to become IDEA, and it was the first federal law that ensured every child between the ages of 3-21 with a disability (no matter how severe) access to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). IDEA also required that Individual Education Plans (IEP) for disabled students must be created and implemented with parental approval. -
The amendments to IDEA in 1997 pivoted from simply providing equal public education services to providing education services that were more meaningful and contained goals that were measured by assessment. In addition to parent involvement in forming IEPs, individualized transition plans (ITP) were formed to prepare disabled students for adulthood success. IDEA provided more individualized attention to students with disabilities. ADD and ADHD were also added to the list of disabilities. -
This legislation reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and mandated that the majority of students with disabilities must take academic standardized tests and perform at a level equal to nondisabled students. NCLB provided financial and technology assistance to help schools access resources for special education. The Act promoted improved individual education by calling for highly qualified teachers, setting high standards, and implementing goals that could be measured. -
Congress amended IDEA by requiring higher standards for teachers in special education, earlier intervention for students with disabilities, and more accountability. This aligned IDEA with NCLB and changed the name to IDEIA. The goal was to improve educational outcomes by using a response to intervention (RTI) and increasing the focus on accountability. States now had to report the progress of disabled students on standardized tests and improve the graduation and dropout rates.
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