-
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of education set the stage for important future legislation for individuals with disabilities. It ruled segregation unconstitutional, and for the first time, federal government advocated for students experiencing inequality and prejudice at school. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
The ESEA helps low income families gain access to high-quality education programs. It also includes provisions for free and reduced lunch, and increases the amount of teachers in disadvantaged communities. -
Educational Amendments Act
The Educational Amendments Act gave federal funding to states for programming for exceptional learners, including those who are gifted and talented. Another major importance of the EAA is that it granted students and their families the right of due process in special education placement. -
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities act was extremely important because it gave individuals with disabilities equal opportunity to employment, public services, accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
IDEA established people first language, a major shift from old terminology. It added two new categories of disability- autism and traumatic brain injury. It requires states to provide transition services for studies with disabilities. By age 16, these students must have individualized transition programs in place. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
New provisions to IDEA required that ALL students with disabilities receive services, even after expulsion. Schools are now responsible for making sure students with disabilities have access to the general ed curriculum, and the general education teacher is now required to be a member of the IEP team. Lastly, this act requires states to offer mediation to parents and educators to settle differences. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA)
The IDEIA allows districts to use Response to Intervention for determining a student's special education eligibility, so there no longer needs to be a severe discrepancy between achievement and IQ to qualify. Additionally, federal funds increased to provide early intervention services. IDEIA also raised the standards for special education licensure.
