A Brief History of Special

Education
APR 11, 1965 ESEA
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
PL 89-313
First state-level grant program for schools that chose to provide
special education programs.
Ammendment in 1967 (PL 90-270) created the Bureau of the
Handicapped

SEP 26, 1973

Rehabilitation Act Ammendments of 1973
PL 93-112
Created and funded the Vocational Rehabilitation
Program.
Included the first civil rights protection for disabled
individuals.

NOV 29, 1975

EAHCA

Education for All Handicapped Children

PL 94-142 Signed into law.

Ground breaking legislature that required public

education for disabled children.
This act includes special education, Free Appropriate
Public Education (FAPE), due process, Least Restrictive
Environment (LRE) and many additions and amendments
made later.

MAY 1, 1977
Section 504
Part of the Rehabilitation Act
States no person can be excluded from public
schools or institutions receiving Federal funding
because of a disability.

JUL 26, 1990

ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act
Extended Section 504's reaches to include other parts of
society.
Prohibits discrimination in hiring and recruitment.
Requires accomodations for disabled employees.
Also prohibits discrimination and requires access
provisions by public and private institutions.

OCT 30, 1990

IDEA
Individuals with Disabilities Act PL 101-476
Provides regulations for how agencies provide special education
for disabled children. (Name change and readministration of
EAHCA)

JAN 8, 2002
NCLB
Reauthorization of ESEA
Required states to develop standards for grades 3-8.
Held schools accountable for the performance of
their students.
Requires "highly qualified" teachers.

DEC 1, 2010
New SLD Policies

[New Rules Powerpoint](dpi.state.wi.us/sped/ppt/ld-new-rule-

12-1-2010.ppt) Changes were made to the way a student is
recognized as special needs. The power point provides much
more detailed information. The sunset period for this is over
November 30, 2013, meaning that it will directly affect us as
new teachers