On November 29, 1975, President Gerald Ford signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. In 1990 an amendment changed the name of that act to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
As stated by the US Department of Education, IDEA accomplishes two important goals:
- It would guarantee a free appropriate public education to every child, regardless of disability, on an equal basis with all other children; and
- It would advance all Americans’ understanding of disability by bringing children with disability out of the shadows and into American schools where their gifts and strengths could be recognized.
We’re proud to support the US Department of Education as they highlight IDEA throughout the week. You can visit their website for more info.