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1954- Brown vs. The Board of Education of Topeka
Segregation of students by race is ruled unconstitutional because children are deprived of equal education opportunities.
The law ended “separate but equal” schools for white and black students. It was used as a precedent for arguing that children with disabilities cannot be excluded from a public education. -
1971: Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
This was a case where was a case where the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was sued by the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens (PARC). This was the first major legal case to provide equality to students with disabilities. -
1972 Mills vs the Board of Education of the District of Columbia
Establishes the constitutional right for FAPE (free and appropriate public education) for all children with intellectual disability ages 6-21 regardless of degree of impairment or associated disabilities. Guarantees due process safeguards established to protect the rights of the child, including parental notification of pending initial evaluation, reassignment, or planned termination of special services. -
1973 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act was the first disability civil rights law to be enacted in the US. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in programs that receive federal assistance. Section 504 protects children and adults with disabilities from exclusion and unequal treatment in schools, jobs, and the community. It serves ages 3-21. It provides extensive rights and protections for students and parents. -
1975 IDEA (Public Law 94-142)
This law is viewed as a “Bill of Rights” for children with exceptionalities and their families. IDEA requires six elements: A free appropriate public education, the least restrictive environment, an individualized education program, procedural due process, nondiscriminatory assessment, and parental participation. -
1980 Armstrong vs. Cline
In this case the issue before the court was the right to an extended school year for pupils with severe disabilities. Based on the right to a free and appropriate education the families sued because the state refused to pay for schooling in excess of 180 days. The court found that some children with disabilities regressed during the summer break and had a longer readjustment to school. Students were denied an appropriate education when they did not receive year-round schooling. -
1986 PL 99-457 The Education of Handicapped Act Amendments
This legislation recognized the need for early intervention for infants and toddlers (birth–age 2) with developmental delays or disabilities. It mandates services for preschoolers with disabilities (ages 3-5). The legislation established the individualized family service plan for infants and toddlers. It also created the label “developmentally delayed.” PL 99-457 is viewed as a downward extension of PL 94-142. -
1990 PL 101-476 IDEA
This law changed the name of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In this Act Autism and traumatic brain injury were identified as discrete disability categories. Rehabilitation counseling and social work were considered as related services. The Act established the requirement of an individualized transition plan (ITP) by age 16. Included in the Act was the states’ immunity from lawsuits for violating IDEA was repealed. -
Americans With Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability -
1997 PL 105-17 IDEA
This law includes modifications to IDEA legislation that include the following elements. Students with disabilities are now required to participate in state and district-wide assessments and a greater variety of assessment tools and strategies are used for evaluations. Transition planning begins at age 14.General educators are required to participate in IEP team and students with disabilities are now included in general education curriculum. -
NCLB 2004 PL 108-446 IDEA
The goal of this Act is to go beyond ensuring access to education to improving the educational performance of students with disabilities. Some of the elements include Using RTI. IEPs must include a statement of the student’s present level of academic achievement and functional performance.Annual goals must be written in measurable terms. All students must participate in all state and district wide assessments with accommodations or alternate assessments as stipulated by their IEP. -
Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008 (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008 (ADA) broadened the definition of disability in the ADA as well as in Section 504. -
ADA Updated Regulations: Title II, Title III More Updated Transportation Regulations
Revised regulations for Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) were issued by Department of Justice. Revised transportation regulations (passenger vessel operators) for Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) were issued by Department of Transportation. -
Rosa's Law
Rosa's Law is a United States law which replaced several instances of "mental retardation" in law with "intellectual disability". It passed the Senate unanimously on August 5, 2010, then the House of Representatives on September 22, and was signed into law by President Barack Obama on October 5. -
2015 ESSA Act
For students with intellectual disabilities the ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) ensures access to the general education curriculum, accommodations on assessments and the use of universal design for learning principles and evidence-based interventions.
