Special Education Timeline

By maverypinson
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    Special Education Timeline

  • The Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 1965

    The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (P.L. 89-10) was passed into law in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The ESEA supported initiatives to help low-income families access educational programs like including free and reduced lunch and supporting teachers in low-income communities. The ESEA also included a grant program that encouraged the states to create programs for students with disabilities and allows children in need of additional services to be benefited from public education.

  • The Vocational Rehabilitation Act in 1973

    The Vocational Rehabilitation Act (P.L. 93-112) was passed into law in 1973 and is one of the United State’s first crucial federal disability rights laws. This law prevents organizations or programs that receive federal funding from discriminating against anyone with a disability because of their disability. This gave many people with a disability better access to schools, healthcare and getting a job. The law also defines the terms “handicapped person” and “appropriate education”.

  • The Educational Amendments Act in 1974

    The Educational Amendments Act (P.L 93-380) was passed into law in 1974 under President Gerald Ford. This act increased federal spending for education for students with disabilities by granting federal funds to states for educational programs. This act also provided federal funding to states for programs targeting students who are gifted and talented. Also included in this act is the right of due process for students and families placed in special education.

  • The Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975

    The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142) was passed into law in 1975. The law required schools to ensure that all students are given a free and appropriate public education or FAPE, regardless of that student's disability. This law also defined the term “least restrictive environment” for education. Also included in this law is that students with disabilities be identified and required to have an individualized education program or IEP.

  • The Education of the Handicapped Act Amendment

    The Education of the Handicapped Act Amendment (P.L. 99-457) was passed into law in 1986. The EHAA redefined the definition of the term “handicapped children” to include younger aged children and developmentally delayed children. The amendments required the states to offer free and appropriate education to children, ages three to five, with disabilities. The amendments also established early intervention programs for children, ages birth to two years, with disabilities.

  • The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

    The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (P.L. 101-476) was passed into law in 1990. The IDEA renamed and replaced The Education for All Handicapped Children Act. This act established and defined “people-first” language, added autism and traumatic brain injury into the categories of disabilities, extended special education services and provisions for due process and confidentiality. The act also required states to provide transition services and programs to students with disabilities.

  • The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

    The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (P.L. 105-17) reauthorized P.L. 101-476 and was passed into law in 1997. The IDEA allowed states extend use of the category developmentally delayed for students up to age nine, required states to take more responsibility for giving students with disabilities access to general education, required the general education teacher to be apart of the IEP team, and required students with disabilities to take part in state and district wide assessments.

  • The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act

    The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act was passed into law in 2004 as a revision and reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The IDEIA allowed school districts to use RTI models for determining if a child has a disability, increased early intervention service funds, raised standards for special education licensure, and prevented disproportionate representation of students in special education by race or ethnicity.

  • The Every Student Succeeds Act

    The Every Student Succeeds Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2015 and replaced the No Child Left Behind Act from 2002. The ESSA and NCLB are very similar, however the ESSA provides additional opportunities for schools when students are not making adequate progress and requires states to measure performance in reading, math, and science. The ESSA also gives states greater flexibility in using federal education funds.

  • Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District

    The Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District was a Supreme Court case in 2017. Endrew Douglas was a student with autism. His parents unenrolled Endrew from public school and enrolled him into private school for more challenging curriculum. When his parents went to reenroll Endrew in public school, they found his IEP was nearly identical for both. The ruling from the case clarifies that schools must provide challenging goals, monitor those goals until progress is met and adapt instruction.