Special Education Timeline

By anniereindl

  • Brown vs. Board of Education

    Supreme Court justices made a unanimous decision saying that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
    (https://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/history-brown-v-board-education-re-enactment)

  • Association for Children with Learning Disabilities

    Now known as the Learning Disabilities Association of America, this organization was founded after a conference in Chicago in 1963.

  • Rehabilitation Act

    The Rehabilitation Act prevents discrimination on the basis of disability.

  • PL 94-142 (Education for All Handicapped Children Act)

    This act took effect in 1977, designed to make sure "all handicapped children have available to them a free appropriate public education which emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs." (Kirk 2014)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGdMxwTdSnE

  • PL 99-457 (Education of the Handicapped Act amendments of 1986)

    This law included all ages and provided that federal funds can be allocated for states to develop plans and programs for children and their family from birth on.

  • Americans with Disabilities Act

    Rights were guaranteed without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, or religion through the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

  • Assistive Technology Act (1998, reauthorized 2004)

    This act directs the Secretary of Education to give funding for assistive technology for students with disabilities.
    (https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/2432)

  • No Child Left Behind

    This act held schools and educators responsible for bringing students to a minimum level of competency.
    (https://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html)

  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

    This was the reauthorization of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Major changes included better quality of personnel, IEP standards, and transition planning. (Kirk 2014)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66g6TbJbs2g

  • Every Student Succeeds Act

    Passed under Barack Obama, this was an amendment under IDEA that replaced "No Child Left Behind" and modified requirements of standardized tests.