It all began in 1972 with the Mills versus the Board of Education lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia. The court deemed the denial of publicly funded education for special children, including those with learning disabilities, to be illegal. This legal precedent set the stage for subsequent legislation, such as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, which was endorsed and enacted by President Gerald Ford on November 29, 1972. This Act marked the nation's first official law specifically addressing special education.
States that received federal funds were obligated to ensure complete access to education for children with special needs. In 1990, this landmark legislation underwent a name change to become the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. Over time, amendments have been introduced to address emerging issues and guarantee that the educational standards for special children align with those of the general education system.
IDEA not only defined the rights of children with learning disabilities but also laid the foundation for collaboration between teachers and families, ensuring the availability of services and resources for support.