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1971 P.A.R.C. v. Common Wealth of Pennsylvania
Thomas Gilhool represented P.A.R.C. and assisted in filing suit on behalf of 14 children who had been denied access to public education in Pennsylvania. The case was won, and no child could be denied any type of education thereafter. -
1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act
This act required all public schools accepting federal funds to provide equal access to education and one free meal a day for children with physical and mental disabilities. Public schools were required to evaluate handicapped children and create an educational plan with parent input that would emulate as closely as possible the educational experience of non-disabled students. The act also provided resources for filing a complaint for parents of disabled children. -
1986 Public Law: A New Challenge to Early Intervention
Signed into law by President Reagan, these amendments reauthorize the Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA) and include a rigorous national agenda pertaining to more and better services to young special needs children and their families. This agenda was fueled by the recent recognition of the needs and competence of infants, the importance of early life experiences and by the documentation of the benefits of early intervention and preschool services. -
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