A Historical Overview of Special

Education in the United States:

With interpretations by: Derek Gilbert
Changes in the way children have been educated have shifted
over the years, but perhaps no change has been so impacting on
the lives of children than those in special education.
In the past, individuals with exceptionalities were often cast out by
educational institutions due to the requirements to educate them,
and forgotten by the government due to the cost to tax payers.
Much of that has changed over the last 50 years, and yet we still
have progress to make.
 The Year: 1965

Congress adds title VI to the Elementary and Secondary

Education Act of 1965:

Creation of the Bureau of Education for the

Handicapped.
Later named: The office of Special Education or OSEP.

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/hq43e4.html
 The Year: 1972

Two cases: one result

PARC v Pennsylvania
Mills vs D.C. Board of Education

Equal protection for students with disabilities.

http://disabilityjustice.org/right-to-education/
 The Year: 1973

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

Protections from discrimination.

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html
 The Year: 1974

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Parental informational access granted.

http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html
 The Year: 1975

EAHCA
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act

Later referred to as Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act (IDEA)

Federal funding tied to cooperation

http://www.specialednews.com/special-education-
dictionary/eha---education-for-all-handicapped-children-
act.htm
 The Year: 1990

Americans with Disabilities Act

Acceptance results in more awareness

EAHCA – Now IDEA

Schools must look at the future of students.

https://dredf.org/news/publications/the-history-of-the-ada/
http://www.education.com/reference/article/individuals-
disabilities-education-act/
 The Year: 1997

IDEA is reauthorized
Student discipline updates
Funding monitoring updates
Changes in IEP teams
Required assessments

http://www.education.com/reference/article/individuals-disabilities-education-act/
 The Year: 2001

No Child Left Behind Act

Greater push for proficiency
by 2014

http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/no-child-left-
behind-overview-definition-summary.html
 The Year: 2004

Idea Reauthorized (again)

Highly qualified special education teachers
Greater accountability
Prevent students from slipping

http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/lr/ideareathztn.asp
The Year: 2036

More students with individualized plans

Less students falling between the cracks