The New York State implementation of the federal special education law is known as the Individualized Education Program (IEP). This plan is designed to meet the unique educational needs of a child in the most suitable environment. The IEP should be in line with the goals and assessments of students enrolled in general education, and states can develop alternative or modified evaluations for students in special education programs. The IEP should not include services to meet family goals, but should only focus on what the child needs to succeed academically in an educational setting.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a U. S. law that guarantees that students with a disability receive an appropriate and free public education (FAPE) that meets their individual needs. The Department of Education issues regulations to implement the requirements of the People with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) offers financial incentives to states to improve their special education services and services for all students. In 1954, the United States Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the established educational format in the United States of segregating black and white students into separate schools, in the case Brown c. To offer FAPE, schools must provide students with an education that emphasizes special education and related services tailored to their unique needs and prepare them to continue their studies, work and live independently. In 1990, the Persons with Disabilities Education Act replaced the EHA to focus more on the person, rather than on a condition that person may have.
Throughout the IEP and special education process, parents and families should be kept informed of any decisions made about their specific student. Public schools were required to evaluate children with disabilities and create an educational plan with the participation of parents in order to emulate as closely as possible the educational experience of students without disabilities. President Kennedy expressed concern about the implications of implementing the IDEA with the changes in the quality standards of education. Congress subsequently enacted the Education for All Disabled Children Act in 1975 to alleviate the financial burden created by litigation under the Rehabilitation Act.
