When was idea signed into law

In , Congress passed Section of the Rehabilitation Act , which barred disability discrimination in programs that get federal funding. To qualify, kids must have a disability that falls under one of the 13 categories IDEA covers.

They are:. Specific learning disability includes dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and other learning differences. To be eligible, a student must:. Sometimes schools and parents disagree over whether a child is covered. When that happens, IDEA provides options for resolving the dispute. In —, around 7. The most common way students qualify is with a specific learning disability.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics. Learn more about the 13 categories IDEA covers. An evaluation gets the ball rolling under IDEA. Parents can request an evaluation at any time. And if the school thinks a child might have a disability, it must conduct an evaluation. The evaluation not only determines if a student has a disability.

It also sheds light on what services and support that student might need. Find out how to request an evaluation. Read about evaluation rights. After the evaluation, the school will hold an eligibility meeting to decide if the child qualifies for special education. If the answer is yes, a school team will work with parents to develop an IEP. Since , we have progressed from excluding nearly 1.

The U. The Rehabilitation Act of , Section addresses protections for students with disabilities. Section is a federal law designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive Federal financial assistance from the department. Department of Justice.

For more on the Americans with Disabilities Act, visit www. In and again in , additional amendments were passed to ensure equal access to education. This federal legislation is designed to ensure that children with disabilities be granted a free appropriate public education FAPE in the least restrictive environment LRE.

IDEA does the following:. Search Menu. What is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act?