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Special Education Timeline

  • Brown v. Board of Education

    Brown v. Board of Education

    Landmark Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. It laid the groundwork for advocating equal rights and opportunities in education.
  • Elementary & Secondary Education Act

    Elementary & Secondary Education Act

    ESEA was signed into law as an effort to address educational inequalities. While not exclusive to special education, ESEA aimed to provide funding to improve the education of disadvantaged and low-income students. The ESEA has been reauthorized several times over the years, with updates and amendments. ESEA has played a critical role in shaping education policy and funding, impacting both general education and special education programs.
  • Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia

    Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia

    The U.S. District Court ruled that students with disabilities cannot be denied access to public education based on their inability to pay for necessary special education services. This highlighted the importance of providing equal educational opportunities to children with disabilities, regardless of their economic status.
  • Education for All Handicapped Children Act

    Education for All Handicapped Children Act

    EHA AKA Public Law 94-142, this law mandated a free and appropriate public education for all children with disabilities. It required schools to provide special education services tailored to each students' needs.
  • Individual with Disabilities Education Act

    Individual with Disabilities Education Act

    This law reauthorized and expanded the EHA, renaming it the IDEA. It introduced the concept of individualized education programs (IEPs) and added new categories of disability eligibility.
  • Americans with Disabilities Act

    Americans with Disabilities Act

    ADA is a comprehensive civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. While not exclusively focused on education, Title II of the ADA addresses access to public services, including public education. This law requires schools to make reasonable accommodations to enable the students' full participation.
  • Supreme Court Decision in Cedar Rapids Community School District v Garret F.

    Supreme Court Decision in Cedar Rapids Community School District v Garret F.

    This decision clarifies the scope of compensatory education under IDEA, ruling that parents cannot obtain reimbursement for private school tuition if their child has not previously received special education services within the public school system.
  • No Child Left Behind

    No Child Left Behind

    NCLB required schools to demonstrate adequate yearly progress for all students, including those with disabilities. This had a significant implications for how schools approached special education.
  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act

    Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act

    IDEIA reauthorization of IDEA introduced further changes, including aligning IDEA with the NCLB, increasing the focus on student progress, and emphasizing the importance of high expectations for students with disabilities.
  • Every Student Succeeds Act

    Every Student Succeeds Act

    ESSA replaced the NCLB and maintained the focus on student achievement while giving more control to states in terms of accountability and intervention for struggling schools, including those serving students with disabilities.
  • Supreme Court Decision in Endrew F. v Douglas County School District

    Supreme Court Decision in Endrew F. v Douglas County School District

    This ruling clarified the standard for providing a "free appropriate public education" under IDEA, stating that schools must provide more than just minimal educational benefits to students with disabilities.