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Smith-Sears Veterans Rehabilitation Act is passed, providing support to soldiers with disabilities
This was the foundation for disability related educational reforms. The Act authorized the federal government to provide vocational training to veterans with disabilities, including education, job counseling, and rehabilitation services. The law covered a wide range of disabilities, including physical disabilities such as amputations and hearing loss, as well as mental health issues like shell shock (now recognized as post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD). -
The Smith-Fess Act was passed
The Smith-Fess Act provides federal funding for vocational rehabilitation programs for people with disabilities, this helped in the promoting of inclusion It established a nationwide system of vocational rehabilitation services and provided funding to states for the development of programs aimed at helping people with disabilities achieve economic independence. The act was a significant step in recognizing the rights of individuals with disabilities. -
The National Association for Retarded Children (NARC), now known as The Arc, is founded
This program helps with advocating for the rights of children with intellectual disabilities. The organization's founding was driven by the need to address the lack of educational, vocational, and community services available to children and adults with IDD at the time. -
Brown v. Board of Education
The Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, which, laid the groundwork for challenging other forms of discrimination, including that based on disability. Although Brown v. Board focused on racial segregation, it also influenced future decisions regarding the rights of other marginalized groups, including people with disabilities.
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The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is passed
This act dealt with providing federal funding for disadvantaged students, including those with disabilities. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on April 11, 1965 as part of his "War on Poverty." It was a landmark federal legislation aimed at closing the achievement gap between students, particularly those from low-income families, and ensuring equal access to high quality education.The ESEA provided federal funding to schools to improve the education of disadvantaged students. -
The U.S office of education issued a regulation
The U.S. Office of Education issues regulations to require public schools to provide free, appropriate education for children with disabilities. Though Regulation 504 was initially aimed at protecting students with disabilities in federally funded education programs, it also had wider implications across all public services. It was a critical step toward advancing civil rights for people with disabilities and set the stage for future legal advancements -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act is passed
This landmark legislation mandates free, appropriate public education for children with disabilities and requires that schools develop Individualized Education Programs for students with disabilities. The law mandated that all public schools provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to children with disabilities, ensuring that they were integrated into the general education system alongside their non-disabled peers, to the maximum extent. -
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, extending civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including education. signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. The ADA is a landmark civil rights law designed to prevent discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including employment, education, transportation, and access to public services and accommodations.
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IDEA is reauthorized
they are revised by adding provisions to promote access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities and increasing accountability for schools. IDEA requires that each student with a disability have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP is a written plan that outlines the child's specific educational goals, the services and accommodations they will receive, and how progress will be measured. -
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was passed
by emphasizing standardized testing and accountability. It included provisions for students with disabilities but received criticism for its focus on testing and lack of adequate supports for these students. President George W. Bush was a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and aimed to improve the performance of U.S. primary and secondary schools by increasing standards for accountability, and student performance, especially for disadvantaged students.