What is National Special Education Day?
National Special Education Day, December 2nd, honors changes in federal law that resulted in the country's first federal special education law..
Beginning in 1971, Mills vs. Board of Education, a U.S. District Court lawsuit in the District of Columbia, found it unlawful to refuse exceptional children, including those with mental and learning disabilities, which were not included in public education programs. The 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act was based on court decisions like this. On November 29th, 1975, 1975, President Gerald Ford signed the bill into law. The federal law mandated states that accept federal funds to ensure equal access to children with disabilities. In 1986, legislators added guarantees to assist parents and educators in establishing an education plan for children with disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990 and expanded coverage for all children with developmental delay. Through the years, the legislation has been amended to enhance services and standards throughout the educational system.
Idea impact
This day honors the strides made in special education, with education open to all American children. Many people with disabilities were denied little to no education before IDEA, and those with disabilities received little to no education before IDE A. Schools were not expected to make accommodations for children with disabilities. Although some states provided special schools, some states did not have special schools, the education and funding were not always equal. In addition, many parents were unable to send their children away from a special school to a special school.
