Years Historical Event Impact on Education

1899 Elizabeth Farrell Created the first
special education class in New York
City.
1931 Department of Special Education was
established
1954 Brown v. The Board of Education
1965 Congress adds Title VI to the
Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 creating a Bureau of
Education for the Handicapped
1972 Supreme Court decisions. PARC v.
Pennsylvania (1972) and Mills v. D.C.
Board of Education (1972) apply equal
protection argument to students with
disabilities
1973 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 is enacted.
1975 Education for all Handicapped
Children Act (EAHCA). P.L. 94-142. with disabilities.
Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA)
1977 Final federal regulations of EAHCA
released
1990 Americans with Disabilities Act
1997 IDEA reauthorized
2001 No Child Left Behind Act
She paved the way for educating students with
special needs. Her class had 19 students originally
and she believed that the students should be
included with regular students.
Required the teaching of children with special
needs. Full special education classes formed.
Challenged the idea of separate but equal. Made
it possible for students with disabilities to get free
public education in the least restrictive
environment.
Educating students with disabilities is still NOT
mandated by federal or state law. However, creation
of the Bureau indicated that there was a change
coming.
Courts take position that children with disabilities
have an equal right to access education as other
students. This started some students going to
school.
This law protects qualified individuals from
discrimination based on their disability.
Mandated that all school districts educate students
This provided a set of rules in which school
districts must adhere to when providing and
education to students with disabilities.
This included public schools by providing civil
rights protections to individuals with disabilities
and preventing discrimination.
Included students with disabilities to be included in
on state and district wide assessments. Regular
Education Teachers are now required to be a
member of the IEP team
Calls for all students including students with
disabilities to be proficient in math and reading by
the year 2014
 References

Febus, L. (2011). Timeline of Important Events in the Field of Special Education. Retrieved September
09, 2016, from https://prezi.com/1th_qp3wrewh/timeline-of-important-events-in-the-field-of-special-
education/

Timeline of Special Education History. (n.d.). Retrieved September 09, 2016, from
http://www.fortschools.org/m/content.cfm?subpage=62980

(Smith, Polloway, Patton & Dowdy, 2011). (n.d.). Important Historical Events in Special Education
timeline. Retrieved September 10, 2016, from https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/important-
historical-events-in-special-education