My Favorite Moment in History

My favorite moment in history was in the United States in 1975 when the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, otherwise known as PL94-142 or EHA, was enacted in the United States. Although I was not there to see the effects of the act first hand, I am certain that it was a source of dramatic changes in the educational system, specifically for students with disabilities. Prior to the 1970’s, a large majority of children and teens that had disabilities were excluded from any form of education in public schools. Some of these students were home-schooled, while others were either uneducated or, sadly, institutionalized. The U.S. Office of Special Education Programs states that prior to EHA, only 1 in 5 children with disabilities were receiving any type of service in public schools. PL94-142 followed smaller acts that began to move the country in the right direction by starting to create programs to train teachers in special education and addressing some other areas of lacking, but they remained to only provide limited access with conditions to students with disabilities. It was not until this act was passed that students with disabilities were given even a portion of the educational services that they need and deserve.

The improvements that the Education for All Handicapped Children Act contributed to the educational system, first, requires that all children from ages 3-21 will have equal access to free and appropriate public education. This was a huge advancement for our country, which once isolated and institutionalized individuals with impairments. Next, the special education teachers were now required develop an education plan for each student with a disability that would allow the student to have a similar experience as the students in the regular education classroom. Students with impairments would finally be given an equal assess and opportunity to learn with use of accommodations and modifications made on an individual basis. The educational plans would be evaluated based on the weaknesses and successes of each particular student. Also, students with disabilities were to be placed in a least restrictive environment, which not only allow, but also promote interactions between students with and without impairments. This was a concept that was unheard of at this point in history, but truly allowed for more opportunities for students with disabilities and a sense acceptance from regular education students and teachers.

PL94-142 also assured that the rights of students with disabilities and their families would be protected by due process. Instead of having to bring cases to the court system, parents were now able to have an administrative hearing to address any issues they have. This would mean that parents now have the ability to speak up concerning the educational services for their children with disabilities, without requiring the additional expenses that come along with bringing the case to court. The concerns brought up by parents of students under special education were now required to be respected, considered, and addressed to be certain that the education plans put in place are appropriate and fair.

To make the provisions of this act possible, states began to be provided with federal funding to assist these programs and train their teachers. Children with disabilities all over the country were now able to go a public school and given the right to learn like every other student their age, despite their limitations. The addition of special education services and the improvements that were brought to the educational system in compliance with the Education for All Handicapped Children Act were truly groundbreaking. This is my favorite moment in history because it was the beginning of many other changes brought to education to support the needs and rights of individuals with disabilities. The alterations that came with the act that was passed in 1975 drastically contributed to the field of special education, my passion and future career. In 1990, PL94-142 was renamed and improved to be the well-known Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

References: 

History: Twenty-five years of progress in educating children with disabilities through IDEA. United States Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/history.pdf