Article 10: Section 504 in American Public Schools: An Ongoing Response to Change

There is nearly a 200-year history of educating disabled students in American schools, and dating back to 1823, a number of individuals, advocacy groups and federal court cases have impacted the treatment of disabled students in public schools (Ballard, Ramirez, and Weintraub 1982). In 1868 with the passage of the 14^th Amendment and Equal Protection Clause, the beginnings of civil rights protections were established affording a new avenue to advocate on behalf of special needs students. Nearly 50 years later, a number of states, including New Jersey, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Oregon, established educational laws to mandate special education services in their public schools (Ballard, Ramirez, and Weintraub 1982).