Federal Legislation Impacting the Education of Students with Disabilities by Patty https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation Resources from PDA: Teaching Students with Disabilities en-us 2018-03-13 15:25:36 UTC 2026-01-24 06:40:36 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Balance.png PatLaza https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241449151 This was the landmark federal policy that would dramatically change special education services, and many felt that this law would become known for having the greatest impact on education in history. At the time, it was estimated that more than half of children with disabilities were not receiving an appropriate education (if any at all). One million children were excluded from schools. This law affected every school in the country, changed the roles of educators, and marked the culmination of the efforts of families, educators, and legislators. It required states to provide by September 1, 1978, a free and appropriate education for all children with handicaps between the ages of 3-18. At the heart of the law were the following principles: free and appropriate education regardless of the severity of the handicap, protection of the rights of children with disabilities and their parents in educational decision making, individualized education programs, least restrictive environment, and appropriate evaluation.

]]> 2018-03-13 15:40:45 UTC https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241449151 PatLaza https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241450140 This law was an amendment to P.L. 94-142 (1975) (already stated). It changed the name of the law to address people-first language, language that puts the person before the modifier (example: a person who had been called "a handicapped person" was now called "a person with a disability"; a child who had been called "a mentally retarded child" was now called "a child with mental retardation"). It also added autism and traumatic brain injury to the categories of disabilities. Transition services, promotion of movement from school to post-school activities, were required. When Congress reauthorized IDEA in 1997 (P.L. 105-17), it found that despite the law's success in ensuring that students with disabilities have access to a free appropriate public education (FAPE), IDEA's implementation had been slowed by low expectations for students and by insufficient focus on research-based methods of teaching.

The six guiding principles of IDEA are:

  1. Zero Reject
  2. Protection in Evaluation
  3. Free Appropriate Public Education
  4. Least Restrictive Environment
  5. Parent and Student Participation in Decision Making
  6. Procedural Due Process
These principles are still the foundation of the law but the reauthorization in 1997 also addressed high expectation, ensuring access to the general curriculum, strengthening parents’ roles, coordinating special education with all other school improvement efforts, providing services in the regular classroom, supporting teacher preparation, reducing the need to label, and reducing paperwork. IDEA grants educational rights to children with disabilities from birth through age 2 (now called Part C) as well as ages 3 though 21 (Part B). Part A sets out the findings of fact on which Congress justifies the rest of IDEA, along with the purposes and policies that Congress intends to implement.

]]> 2018-03-13 15:41:49 UTC https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241450140 PatLaza https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241450989 Every Student Succeeds Act was the reauthorization of the 50 year old Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and replaces the previous version of the law, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. The ESEA serves as the national educational law and longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students.

The reauthorized, bipartisan law builds upon the critical work States and local educational agencies (LEAs) have implemented over the last few years, prioritizing excellence and equity for students and supporting great educators.

View the U.S. Department of Education's Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) website for more information.

]]> 2018-03-13 15:42:50 UTC https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241450989 PatLaza https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241451595 While educational services and supports have come a long way since 1975, Congress' intent in 2004 was to raise expectations of IDEA so that "to the maximum extent possible, students with disabilities meet the challenging expectations set for all children".

View IDEA - the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act website for more information.

]]> 2018-03-13 15:43:39 UTC https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241451595 PatLaza https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241452882 Some students qualify for services under a plan commonly referred to as "504," which is not a grant program like IDEA and therefore provides no federal money for supports or services. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 provides that no individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be discriminated against. Section 504 applies to any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

View the Section 504 website for more information.

]]> 2018-03-13 15:45:28 UTC https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241452882 The six guiding principles of IDEA: PatLaza https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241502703

  • Zero Reject
  • Protection in Evaluation
  • Free Appropriate Public Education
  • Least Restrictive Environment
  • Parent and Student Participation in Decision Making
  • Procedural Due Process
    • ]]>     2018-03-13 16:56:12 UTC https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241502703     People First Language PatLaza https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241504389 2018-03-13 16:58:50 UTC https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241504389 What is & Isn't Covered Under FAPE PatLaza https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241505972 2018-03-13 17:01:15 UTC https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241505972 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) PatLaza https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241506888 2018-03-13 17:02:36 UTC https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241506888 IDEA- the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act PatLaza https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241507947 2018-03-13 17:04:28 UTC https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241507947 Training Curriculum on IDEA 2004 PatLaza https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241509041 2018-03-13 17:06:03 UTC https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241509041 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 PatLaza https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241509720 2018-03-13 17:07:09 UTC https://padlet.com/PatLaza/Federallegislation/wish/241509720