But for nearly 200 years after the United States was established in 1776, little was done to advance the rights of its disabled students. In fact, over 4. read more
Prior to legislation requiring public education for children with cognitive or emotional disabilities, deafness, blindness or the need for speech therapy, among others, parents had few options other than to educate their children at home or pay for expensive private education. The story of Special Education begins in the early part of the 20th Century. read more
During the 1999-2000 school year, the 50 states and the District of Columbia spent approximately $50 billion on special education services, amounting to $8,080 per special education student. The total spending on regular and special education services to students with disabilities amounted to $77.3 billion, or an average of $12,474 per student. read more