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Watson v. City of Cambridge
Ruling by Massachusetts Supreme Court that a child who was “weak of mind” and was not able to value an education, was problematic to the other children, made bizarre sounds and was not able to take care of himself properly, could be “expelled” from school (Yell, 2012, p. 36). -
Beattie vs. Board of Education
The Wisconsin Supreme Court maintains ruling that a student could be dismissed from school because he/she has a disability. The student suffered a condition making him drool and make faces. Educators were disgusted by this student. The courts sided with school officials who debated that the student disrupted learning in the classroom and took up too much of the teacher’s time (Yell, 2012, p. 36). -
Council for Exceptional Children is founded
The Council for Exceptional Children is a professional association of educators devoted to progressing the success of children with exceptionalities. The CEC accomplishes their “mission through advocacy, standards, and professional development” (Council for Exceptional Children, 2019). -
PARC v. Pennsylvania
PARC (Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens) contended that “students with mental retardation” were denied suitable services due to the dependence “on a Pennsylvania statute that allowed schools to deny education to anyone who had not "attained a mental age of 5 years" (PARC v. Commonwealth, 1972). School districts were ordered to offer available, suitable education to every student despite disability. This case paved the way for future laws protecting disabled students (Yell, 2012) -
Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act
Banned discrimination against people with disabilities “in programs receiving federal funding” (Yell, 2012, p. 41). This law applies to public schools as they are federally funded. -
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is enacted (FERPA)
Parents are allowed access to any and all records pertaining to child’s education used by the school district. This is a federal law and applies to any and all schools that receive federal funding. -
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA)
Federal funding is provided to states that educate eligible students who have disabilities "with free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment" (Yell, 2012, p. 42).
Schools are mandated to develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Precautions are put in place. -
Education of the Handicapped Amendments
Federal monetary incentives for early intervention services to educate infants through the age of two. Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) are required for qualified children and families
Required IFSP’s for eligible. -
The Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1990 (IDEA)
EAHCA was renamed IDEA. The main purpose of IDEA is to protect learners with disabilities and give access to students with disabilities access to education. -
IDEA reauthorized
Students with disabilities must be included on state-wide testing and assessments. General Education teachers must now be members of the IEP team. -
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
Current version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Students with disabilities must now be skillful in reading and math. NCLB makes sure students with learning disabilities “reach high levels of academic standards” as with all “children in America’s public schools today” (National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2019). -
IDEA reauthorized
Restructured the make-up of the IDEA. Termed a “highly qualified” special education teacher. More responsibility for schools both locally and statewide for more data. Banned states from “requiring school districts to use a discrepancy formula for determining eligibility of students with learning disabilities” (Yell, 2012, p. 48). Response-to-Intervention (RTI) was encouraged to establish whether students were learning disabled or not (Yell, 2012).