Timeline of Laws

By biaktoo

  • 1954: Brown v. Board of Education (347 U.S. 483 (1954))

    The Supreme Court ruled that schools could not be segregated and that “separate but equal” schools were unconstitutional. This important ruling started the move towards equality in education.

  • 1972: PARC v. Commonwealth of PA (No. 71-42 ( E.D. Pa. ))

    The Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children sued some PA school districts who classified students as “uneducatable and untrainable.” The consent decree from this trial gave disabled students the right to a free and appropriate public education.

  • 1972: Mills v. Board of Education of District of Columbia (348 F. Supp. 866 (D.D.C. 1972))

    Segregation in schools was unconstitutional, so schools could not segregate children with disabilities. Those students had to be given an adequate education and the public schools had to pay for it.

  • 1973: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-112)

    No one can be discriminated against because of their disability. Students with disabilities have the right to programs and services.

  • 1975: Education of All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (Public Law 94-142)

    Students with disabilities have the right to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, and they have the right to an individualized education plan. Parents have the right to see their student’s school records and they have to know about any changes to their student’s programs, classes or placement in school.

  • 1986: Amendments to the Education of All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 99-457)

    Legal rights that school-age children with disabilities have also apply to preschoolers with special needs.

  • 1990: Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990 (Public Law 101-336)

    This law added autism and traumatic brain injury to the list of disabilities. The law also made it easier for students to get assistive technology.

  • 1997: Amendments to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-17)

    This law explains who has to be at IEP meetings and sets procedures for IEP documentation. The law also makes states responsible for tracking the growth and performance of each special needs student in their state.

  • 2001: No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110)

    This law says that all students in grades 3-8 have to take tests in math and reading. Parents should get some flexibility in school choice for their students. This is what brought in required standardized testing.

  • 2004: Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA)

    Disabled students must be taught by highly qualified teachers. States can spend 15% of special education funds on general education since there are students who are disabled but they have not yet been identified as disabled. IEP’s have to have transition plans that state what the end goal is for the student.