Running head: INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT 1

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act

Christian Small
Professor Steinhoff-Mueller
Dakota State University

Abstract
Throughout history, schools have excluded certain children, especially children with
disabilities. History changed on November 19, 1975. Multiple issues relating to individuals with
disabilities were addressed. The Education for All Handicapped Children Act was passed. Later

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the name was changed to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This rule ensured
that students who had disabilities would be able to receive free, appropriate public education
(FAPE), other related services, and the support they needed to succeed. Before this act was
provided, students with disabilities received an inadequate education or none at all. Congress
wanted to accomplish several goals through passing the special education act of 1975. These
goals were the six principles of the act: zero reject, nondiscriminatory evaluation, free
appropriate education, least restrictive environment, procedural safeguards, parent participation,
and shared decision-making.

One of the greatest benefits of living in America is the free education that the nation
provides for students. Whether poor, wealthy, white, black, or Mexican, everyone has the same
right to attend the schools in America, and to do so without cost. For an average student with
average abilities, that has always meant building a foundation for success, until a decision called
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) was set in place. Children with special education needs
were given a poor education and had a smaller chance of leading to a successful future. IDEA is
one of the most important decisions that has ever been made in the United States school system.
This act was not always called IDEA. When the law was created, it was called the All
Handicapped Childrens Act in 1975 (Heward 16). The law later became known as the IDEA in
1990. Most recent change to the name of this law happened in 2004; now the law is referred to as
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (Heward 16). This education

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decision has helped develop schools around this nation for the betterment the students, especially
those with disabilities.
This educational act has rules and regulations that defines how IDEA must operate. These
regulations are split into six major principles. All children must be educated, also known as zero
reject, this is stated within the first principle (Heward 16). No child may be excluded from a
particular section of class because the school sees that he/she are too disabled to learn
appropriately. Within this particular principle, is a mandatory requirement called the child find
system. Every states education agency holds responsibility for locating, identifying, and
evaluating all children who are supposed of having disabilities through age twenty-one (Heward
16-17).
Throughout school, teachers do regular evaluation of their students. Nondiscriminatory
evaluation has two main purposes within IDEA. Firstly, nondiscriminatory evaluation assists to
determine if a student has a disability (Philadelphia Mental Retardation Services).
If there is a disability, the evaluation must decide whether the student requires special instruction,
then must be determined which services he/she needs (Philadelphia Mental Retardation
Services). All testing and evaluations must not show bias based upon race, culture or native
language (Heward 17). Protection in evaluation procedures, are provisions of the IDEA that
require all tests must be presented in the students native language and also placement cannot be
determined by only one test score (Heward 17).
When thinking of America, freedom is the first thing that comes to mind. This leads to
the third principle of the IDEA, free appropriate public education (FAPE). The appropriate
education portion states that all students with disabilities have a right to an education which
gives them proper progress (Philadelphia Mental Retardation Services). Appropriate education
includes the special education classroom and any related services that are needed. An
individualized education plan (IEP) is written for all students who are receiving special
education (Philadelphia Mental Retardation Services). FAPE stands regardless of the severity

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and/or type of the disability present (Heward 17). I have seen this put into effect. In my dorm, an
individual was given a room on the first floor because they were injured. This was an example of
a related service required of all public city schools.
When students are pulled out of the classroom or simply pulled aside, they feel excluded
from their peers. Least restrictive environment (LRE), the fourth principle of the IDEA, helps to
educate students with disabilities primarily in the classroom (Heward 19). This principle serves
inclusion in the classroom, which means including all students despite their differences
(Philadelphia Mental Retardation Services). In a students IEP, there must be reason as to why
the particular student cannot participate with other peers during certain activities (Heward 19).
More and more students with disabilities are spending their school days in general education
environments. In my experience, I have helped elementary teachers who have made children
leave when they were being difficult in class.
As a teacher, one must include the parents with any developmental decisions. Procedural
safeguards are actions that public agencies and other intervention service providers perform.
Schools and parents are accountable for each other (Philadelphia Mental Retardation Services).
In a case that the parents and educators disagree on a subject involving the student, the IDEA
requires an independent evaluation meeting; this is done at public expense (Heward 19).
Oftentimes these meetings only lead to more disagreement; in this case, disagreements can be
taken to the next level, known as due process hearing (Heward 19-20).
The sixth principle of the IDEA is parent participation and shared decision making. This
principle closely relates to the safeguard principle because they both involve the parents. Parents
or guardians have all the right to receive evaluations and reevaluations (Philadelphia Mental
Retardation Services). Students can also become involved in the decisions when they come of
age (Heward 20). When he/she reaches high school the student is involved in the goals and
planning of his/her own IEP. This is the moment we live for

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In 1975, the school system made a change and turned for the betterment of students with
disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act serves as the main order that
authorizes federal aid for the education of the six million or more children with disabilities
nationally. Six principles outline the goals and requirements of this act. States that receive federal
funds are required to provide a "free, appropriate public education" to all children with
disabilities in the "least restrictive environment.. As I continue to study education, I assume this
law continues to influence teaching. With my experiences so far, for example when helping
elementary teachers, some of the principles fell into play. I hope to grow in my knowledge of the
act and become a successful teacher to the future leaders of America.

Work Cited
Heward, W. 2013. Exceptional Children: An introduction to special education-tenth edition.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Pearson Education. Page 16-20.
Philadelphia Mental Retardation Services. 2005. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IDEA. < http://www.mycitymyplace.com/idea.htm>.