Individuals with Disabilities Education Act         

History

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law passed in 1975, and reauthorized in 1997, which mandates that all eligible children with disabilities receive a free and appropriate education.  IDEA provides funds to assist states in the education of students with disabilities, and requires that these students receive an Individualized Education Program (IEP) based on their unique needs in the least restrictive environment possible.  It also provides guidelines for providing related services and outlines due process procedures.  

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act:

• raises expectations for children with disabilities by requiring the IEP goals to relate more clearly to the regular classroom curriculum. 
• increases parental involvement by requiring their inclusion in eligibility and placement decisions,
• includes children with disabilities in assessments, performance goals, and reports to the public.
• ensures that regular education teachers are involved in planning and assessing student progress,
• supports quality professional development for all personnel involved in educating students with disabilities.

IDEA '97  Analysis of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and amendments, from the Department of Education

IDEA Practices Home Page  designed to assist teachers, school administrators and related service professionals implement changes to the nation's primary special education law.