Special Education Timeline

  • Brown V. Board of Education

    Brown V. Board of Education

    Supreme Court rules that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional.
  • The elementary and Secondary Act of 1965

    The elementary and Secondary Act of 1965

    Provided state federal money to state in order to improve opportunities for students who were disadvantage (including children with disabilities)
  • Education of Handicapped Act of 1970

    Education of Handicapped Act of 1970

    Provide state grants to help expand education programs for students with disabilities.
    Federal government money was given to schools to help train special education teachers.
  • Mills v Board of Education

    Mills v Board of Education

    Since segregation was deemed unconstitutional, it also is unconstitutional to deny students with disabilities an education.
  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

    Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

    Prohibited discrimination against those with disabilities in programs that received federal funding
  • Education for all Handicapped Children Act

    Education for all Handicapped Children Act

    Federal funding was provided to those who promised to education students with disabilities.
    Started required schools to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
  • Timothy W V. Rochester School District

    Timothy W V. Rochester School District

    Student was denied special services because the school felt disability was "too severe" to benefit.
    Led to zero-rejection policy
    Schools could not deny a child special education services, no matter how severe their disabilities are.
  • The IDEA Amendments of 1997

    Changed IEP team and added new components
    Reorganized the structure of IDEA
    Began requiring states to offer intervention
  • IDEA Improvement Act

    Gave a definition to "highly qualified" special education teacher.
    Encouraged the use of the RTI model in classrooms.
    Removed short term goals in IEP's except for those with severe disabilities.
  • Endrew F v. Douglas County School District

    Endrew F v. Douglas County School District

    Ruled in favor a higher standard of education for students with disabilities.
    Parents sued schools for tuition to a private school because the school was unable to provide a "meaningful education"