In 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (later renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA]) mandated that free and appropriate public school education was a legal right for all students and that students with a disability adversely affecting their academic performance qualified for special education and related services. This entry reviews the special education provisions under IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and discusses the demographics of students enrolled in special education. It then describes the process of obtaining special education services and details how those services are provided.

Legal Overview

Section 504

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 guarantees all children with disabilities the right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). The law states that individuals with ...

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