November marks a significant milestone for special education as it was November 1975 when the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guaranteed children with disabilities the right to free public education.
Fifty years! For some, that may seem remarkable. It may also be surprising to learn that prior to IDEA nearly two million children with disabilities were excluded from public school. These children were prevented from the right to a public education, leaving them housebound or institutionalized. Imagine the challenges that these parents, families and children endured. It seems incredible, but that was only 50 years ago.
IDEA: Massachusetts Served as the Model for the Nation
IDEA was modelled after Massachusetts Chapter 776, also known as the Bartley-Daly Act, a foundational law enacted as part of the broader Chapter 766 of the Acts of 1972 which laid the groundwork for comprehensive special education services in the Commonwealth.
The Education for all Handicapped Children Act (EACHA), enacted in 1975, transformed education for children with disabilities by establishing important standards and rights including the following:
- The creation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for eligible students.
- All children were guaranteed the right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) at no cost to families in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).
This federal law became the foundation for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which years later expanded to include providing early intervention services for infants and toddlers under three years old.
Partners in Child Development’s Programs and IDEA
Two of our three programs at Partners in Child Development are firmly rooted in IDEA: Anderson School and Early Intervention Services.
Anderson School – a private school option for students with complex medical needs
Back in 1973, a group volunteered their time to provide services to four families with special needs children in a church basement in Andover, MA. Fast forward to today and Anderson School, an approved, private special education school, serves a low incidence population of students ages 3 to 16 who have complex medical needs.
The Anderson School offers a partnership opportunity for public schools who often do not have the resources or specialized programs to support our student body. The rarity of our students’ conditions coupled with the complexity of their medical needs presents a challenge for any public school to meet. Without options like Anderson School, public schools are left with no alternative but to provide educational services in the family’s home setting, a practice often known as homebound education.
At Anderson School, we have built a vibrant, caring environment that delivers the education students deserve while providing additional medical and therapeutic support in a school setting. Our highly-skilled team works to fully integrate the students’ augmented communication devices into the classroom and support the families to adapt the communication system in their homes. We identify and secure adaptive equipment such as wheelchairs, standers, and walkers to increase students’ mobility and independence, while navigating other complexities of our students’ profile, such as CVI (cortical visual impairment), feeding tubes, seizure disorders, and more.
For parents and caregivers, Anderson School offers peace of mind and a viable alternative to being able to attend a public school or being housebound. We are a unique solution that allows students to attend school, learn, make friends and maximize their potential. Anderson School enables parents and caregivers to pursue their interests and careers knowing their student is in a safe and caring learning environment, while also providing them a trusted partner to discuss their student’s unique educational and medical needs.
IDEA opened up opportunities for so many students and families! Fifty years later, we remain committed to expanding education opportunities for more students and helping their families. We will continue to advocate for students with complex medical needs and strive to help more families know they have options.
Early Intervention Services and IDEA
The second program firmly rooted in IDEA is our Early Intervention Services (EI). EI was added to IDEA in 1986 because it was recognized that given the dramatic development that happens in the first three years of life, the need for future services could be reduced by providing intervention during the early stages of a child’s development. Today we provide Early Intervention Services to infants and toddlers in 12 communities in the Commonwealth.
While we are reaching more families and achieving record growth, the reality is there are more children and families to reach in the communities we serve. We appreciate all that IDEA has achieved, but we will keep spreading the word so that more parents and caregivers, hospitals, medical facilities, pediatricians, and daycare providers know of us and contact us to help children at risk or not meeting age-appropriate developmental milestones.
Education: A Fundamental American Value
As I reflect on IDEA reaching 50 years, I remark on the trail blazing role that Massachusetts has had in our history, including embracing our core American value of education. I am proud to lead an organization that is fully committed to doing what is right for a student, to persevere in the face of uncertainty to reach more students and families via our two programs, Anderson School and Early Intervention Services, and to do our part to be a strong voice advocating for families and students of all capabilities to have access and equity.
Progress has been made. There’s still work to be done.
IDEA has made significant strides in access and equity over these past 50 years. From our purview, there is more work to be done to reach more young children and families to provide Early Intervention Services to and to increase awareness of Anderson School and its unique and special role in providing a safe and nurturing learning environment to students with complex medical needs.
Our families can count on us to advocate for all students to receive the education they deserve and for families to choose what is best for their child.
I hope we continue to make advancements in protecting the rights of those who need it most. The future depends on it.
Learn more about Anderson School.
Learn more about Early Intervention Services.
Get Started with Early Intervention. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.
