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Landmark Supreme Court case declaring racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Set the precedent for equal access to education—including for students with disabilities.
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Provided federal funding to improve education for disadvantaged children, including those with disabilities.
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This class-action lawsuit forced Pennsylvania to provide public education to children with intellectual disabilities. It laid the groundwork for federal laws like IDEA
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Extended the right to education to all children with disabilities, including those excluded due to behavior or perceived “uneducability.” It emphasized due process rights
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The first federal civil rights law protecting individuals with disabilities from discrimination in programs receiving federal funding, including public schools.
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Guaranteed a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE) for children with disabilities. Required Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
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First Supreme Court case interpreting IDEA. It ruled that schools must provide “some educational benefit,” but not necessarily the best possible education. This shaped decades of IEP standards.
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Allowed parents to recover attorney’s fees when they prevailed in special education disputes. Strengthened parental rights.
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Renamed and expanded the 1975 law. Emphasized transition services, assistive technology, and inclusion.
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Increased accountability, parental involvement, and access to the general curriculum. Required measurable goals in IEPs.
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Supreme Court ruled that schools must provide health services (like a nurse) if needed for a student to access education. It expanded the definition of FAPE.
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Mandated that students with disabilities be included in statewide assessments. Pushed for higher expectations and accountability.
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Aligned with NCLB. Emphasized early intervention, response to intervention (RTI), and streamlined dispute resolution.
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Broadened the definition of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, making it easier for students to qualify for protections.
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Replaced No Child Left Behind. It gave states more flexibility but still required accountability for students with disabilities in assessments.
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Supreme Court ruled that schools must offer more than minimal progress—students with disabilities deserve “meaningful educational benefit.”
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The pandemic exposed major gaps in access for students with disabilities. Legal debates emerged around how to deliver FAPE remotely—this moment is still shaping policy.
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Advocacy continues to limit or ban harmful disciplinary practices disproportionately used on students with disabilities. Some states have passed laws; others are still debating. ONGOING