Special Education Timeline by

Brown V. Board of Education (May 17, 1954)

fabdurrahman1 — 2025-01-16 00:37:09 UTC

Brown v. Board of Education started as a lawsuit filed by Oliver Brown on behalf of his daughter. He complained that she was unable to attend the local all-white school nearby. More families got involved, fighting for their right to equal education and an end to educational segregation. In 1954, a law was passed allowing black students to attend previously all-white schools. This legislation paved the way for several other lawsuits regarding educational discrimination.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (April 9, 1965)

fabdurrahman1 — 2025-01-16 00:48:58 UTC

This law was passed to grant equal educational opportunities for disadvantaged students, such as those who lived in poverty. Though it has been continually updated and revised, the initial 1965 legislation promised more funding to schools in underfunded areas. Since then, it has also allowed for more rights and opportunities for those with disabilities. It was most recently revised in 2015 under President Obama.

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (November 19, 1975)

fabdurrahman1 — 2025-01-16 01:03:09 UTC

This law was passed to allow protections for children with physical or mental disabilities regarding their education. Prior to 1975, "U.S. schools educated only one in five children with disabilities," which meant many were not receiving adequate schooling. The passing of this law changed that and made it illegal to discriminate against a student based on their disability. The law has been amended many times and is called the the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

No Child Left Behind (January 8, 2002)

fabdurrahman1 — 2025-01-16 01:10:04 UTC

The NCLB Act was a continuation of the Elementary Secondary Education Act from 1965. This updated version's goal was to continue to try and provide more adequate resources and education to marginalized groups of students, such as those who were poor and/or disabled. However, another goal was to improve US education as a whole, which included implementing standardized state tests. These tests included the subjects math, reading, and science to measure student growth, particularly those from said marginalized groups.

Every Student Succeeds Act (December 10, 2015)

fabdurrahman1 — 2025-01-16 01:28:26 UTC

The ESSA was introduced by President Obama and largely replaced President Bush's NCLB. The acts are similar to one another in goals. Both want to improve education for underprivileged, marginalized groups, as well as using standardized testing to do so. However, one difference is that in the ESSA, the state, as opposed to the federal government, possesses more control over its schools and curriculum.

References

fabdurrahman1 — 2025-01-16 01:33:08 UTC

Klein, A. (2015, April 10). No Child Left Behind: an Overview. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/no-child-left-behind-an-overview/2015/04

Lee, A. (2022). What Is the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)? Www.understood.org; Understood. https://www.understood.org/en/articles/every-student-succeeds-act-essa-what-you-need-to-know

Paul, C. (2018). Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Social Welfare History Project; Virginia Commonwealth University. https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/programs/education/elementary-and-secondary-education-act-of-1965/

PBS. (2019). Brown v. Board of Education | American Experience | PBS. Pbs.org. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/emmett-brown-v-board-education/

U.S. Department of Education. (2024, February 16). A history of the individuals with disabilities education act. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; U.S. Department of Education. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/IDEA-History

Wright, P., & Wright, P. (2021, October 18). The History of Special Education Law in the United States. Wrightslaw.com. https://www.wrightslaw.com/law/art/history.spec.ed.law.htm