Special Education Laws and Terms

Special Education Law History & Terms

• Free/Reduced Lunch
• Additional teachers to low income schools

1965

Elementary and Secondary Education Act

President Lyndon Johnson

1973

Vocational Rehabilitation Act & Section 504

• Prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities
• Defines appropriate education

Educational Amendments Act of 1974

• Right to due process for students and families in special education cases
• Grants federal funding for Gifted and Talented students

1975

Education for All Handicapped Children Act

• LRE - Defines Least Restrictive Environment
• IEP - Individualized Education Program
• FAPE - Requires Free and Appropriate Education (children ages 5-18)

1986

Education of Handicapped Amendments

• Free and Appropriate Education for students with disabilities for ages 3-5
• Early intervention programs for scholdren with disabilities for birth - 2

• Prohibits discrimination against people with disabilites in the workplace and schools
• Provides Equal Opportunity to: employment, accommodations, services, transportation

1990

Americans with Disabilities Act ADA

1990

IDEA

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

1. Transition Program at age 16
2. Bilingual Education Programs
3. Extends Special Education programs to include social work and rehabilitation
4. Due Process
5. Confidentiality of student information

1997

Individuals with Disabilites Education Act

• General Education Teacher is part of IEP Team
• Students with disabilities take State Tests
• Behavior Management Plans
• Mediation to resolve differences
• Services continue for students with disabilites EVEN if they are expelled from school!

2001

No Child Left Behind Act

• Early intervention Reading Programs
• Highly Qualified Teachers
• Increased accountability on schools
• School choice for failing schools

2004

IDEIA

IDEA Improvement Act

• Higher standards for Special Education Teacher License and Certification
• Increased funding for early intervention
• Use of Response to Intervention or RTI

2015

Every Student Succeeds Act

ESSA

• Bullying Prevention Plans
• More control to states for standardized tests
• Only 1 percent of students can be given alternative assessments

Important Terms in Special Education

1. IEP - Individualized Education Program
2. LRE - Least Restrictive Environment
3. FAPE - Free and Aprropriate Public Education
4. FERPA - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
5. LEA - Local Education Agency
6. BIP - Behavior Intervention Plan
7. CBM - Curriculum Based Measurement

Common Areas of Eligibility in Special Education

• ASD - Autism Spectrum
• SLD - Specific Learning Disability (most common)
• OHI - Other Health Impairment (includes ADHD as well as other health related issues
• EI - Emotional Impairment
• SLI - Speech & Language Impairment
• CI - Cognitive Impairment

Important Cases in Special Education

1954-Brown v. Board of Education

Originally about race, has been used in subsequent cases to include students with disabilities

1982- Rowley v. Board of Education

FAPE came out of this decision

1984-Tatro v. Irving Independent School District

"Meaningful Access" and "Related Services" came from this case

1988-Honig v. Doe

"Stay put" came out of this case - until IEP disputes are resolved