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Mandatory Attendance Law
In 1852, Massachusetts enacts the first mandatory attendance law in education. -
Pennsylvania Training School
In 1853 Pennsylvania began funding a private school, Pennsylvania Training School for Feeble-Minded Children.
Although an unfortunate name, this was a step in moving towards educating students with disabilities. -
Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
This school was established in Boston by the Boston School Committee, in order to provide education for deaf/hard of hearing students. -
Schools for children with disabilities
During the 1940's, schools for children with specific disabilities began to increase. These were typically private and the quality varied. -
Brown v. Board of Education
This Supreme Court Case made a great change for education for children. This case decided that segregated schools were illegal, and deprived children of equal opportunities in education. -
Ruby Bridges
In a historical movement, Ruby Bridges becomes the first African American to attend an all white elementary school. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
This addressed the inequality of educational opportunity for underprivileged children. This landmark legislation provided resources to help ensure that disadvantaged students had access to quality education. -
Pennsylvania Assn. for Retarded Children v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
In the 1970's, this case helped parents of children with disabilities have a voice in the decision of educational placements. -
Mills v. Board of Education of District of Columbia
In the 1970's, this case changed the practice of expelling, suspending and excluding children with disabilities. -
Congressional Investigation
Congress launched an investigation where they found that millions of children with disabilities were not receiving the education that they were entitled. -
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504 of this act requires accommodations for students with disabilities, and a student doesn't need to have an educational disability in order to qualify. Act 504 applies to a person throughout their lifetime, not just 3-21 years. -
Equal Educational Opportunities Act
This Act guaranteed education, free of bias and discrimination, for everyone. -
Lau v. Nichols
An important case that ruled a San Francisco's lack of English Language Instruction was in violation of the Civil Rights Act. -
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975
This law focused on ensuring that children with disabilities had access to an education and due process of law. It also introduced procedural safeguards to ensure all parents and children received this rights. -
Plyler v. Doe
A Supreme Court ruling that found a Texas law denying education access to children in the US illegal violates the constitution. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The ADA was intended to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, services rendered by state and local governments, places of public accommodation, transportation, and telecommunications services -
Amendments to IDEA
In the 1997, an amendment was added to IDEA to include transition services for high school students transitioning to adult living. This requires a plan for finding appropriate employment and post-school adult living objectives. -
No Child Left Behind Act
This act required accountability for the academic performance of all school children, including those with disabilities. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 was amended by Congress, and increased the focus on accountability and improved outcomes by emphasizing reading, early intervention, and research-based instruction by requiring that special education teachers be highly qualified. -
Assistive Technology Act of 2004
Provided support for school-to-work transition projects and created loan programs for the purchase of assistive technology (AT) devices.