December 2nd is National Special Education Day, a fine occasion to celebrate the anniversary of the nation’s first federal special-education law. 

Signed into law by President Gerald Ford on December 2, 1972, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) made education available to all students of all abilities. Prior to IDEA, schools were not required to accommodate children with  intellectual and developmental disabilities, and very few of these children received any education at all.

Without the IDEA, as you can either imagine or already know full-well, a huge financial and emotional strain was put on parents with children with special needs. Not just that the education wasn’t being offered, but more so the statement made abundantly clear to parents whose kids had special needs. 

In denying children with special needs the opportunities to succeed as neurotypical children can, society was conveying that these kids were second-class citizens. As we all know, this is still a massive issue, but special education is a step in the right direction, and special education teachers and aides fight for their students every day.

Creating Change

IDEA mandates that people with disabilities have access to the same free education every neurotypical student has. The law has resulted in more than just equal education for students. Including students with disabilities and providing the basic human right to a fair education is also helping to break down harmful and hurtful stereotypes.

The general public holds so many misconceptions about people who have  intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities. It is commonly believed that life with a disability prevents students from achieving academic goals. It can be a tougher road, but not impossible by any means. Having a disability can help a person find their unique abilities much faster and more comprehensively than people without disabilities. The problem is that people with disabilities very rarely get the same opportunities as those without disabilities. 

There are over 6 million students with disabilities in the United States. Thanks to IDEA, these students have been given valuable tools to help them reach their full potential. Special education still needs improvements, but the extremely hard work put in by families, teachers, advocates, lawmakers, and students helping to shape a new future. December 2nd is a day to celebrate the accomplishments of teachers, administrators, students and parents, and reaffirm our commitment to change for the better.

About Stephen’s Place

Stephen’s Place is an independent apartment community for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, located in Vancouver, WA (7 minutes from Portland, OR).

If you have a loved one with developmental or intellectual disabilities, who is looking for a community to live in, please contact us for more information. 

Stephen’s Place is a private-pay apartment community due to our state-of-the-art amenities and programs. We are a nonprofit and do not profit from our community. We are private pay because we spend more than some housing communities to ensure that our residents are comfortable and can safely live their lives with independence and dignity.