Our Nations History of Special Education

As you probably already know, Special Education programs weren't developed in just one day. Movements of providing and improving programs for the disabled dates back for more than 40 years. In fact, one of the first attempts on a National level to assist the disabled was in 1967 when congress established the Bureau of Education for the handicapped. This was the only option at that time that helped fund special programs for students with disabilities, separating them from regular classrooms, although the quality was very inconsistent.

The first official law that gauranteed disabled students a right to recieve a free public education was signed by President Gerald R. Ford in 1975. This was an important turning point because prior to this law, different states and school districts got to decide how and where different students with disablilities would be educated.

Years later 1982, a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision of Hendrick Hudson Central Board of Education v. Rowley occured. This decision creating the standard that schools decide what services they need to provide for disabled students. Ultimately, affirming the rights of special education students to FAPE (Families and Advocates Partnership for Education). This project serves the purpose to improve the educational outcomes for children with disabilities and provides useful information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This act was reauthorized in 1997.
Other important dates that contributed greatly towards special educaiton programs are the Irving Independent School district v. Tatro case of 1984 and the Honig v. Doe case of 1988.