Bill > SRes521

This resolution celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a landmark law originally signed in 1975 by President Gerald R. Ford that fundamentally transformed educational opportunities for children with disabilities. The resolution highlights that before IDEA, over 1 million children with disabilities were excluded from public schools or received inadequate education, and now the law ensures every child with a disability has the right to a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. It recognizes IDEA's critical provisions, including supporting early intervention services, ensuring parents are meaningful partners in educational planning, providing tools to improve educational access, and establishing systemic supports for students with disabilities. The resolution specifically honors the millions of children who have benefited from IDEA, commends the educators, families, advocates, and policymakers who have supported its implementation, and reaffirms a commitment to continuing to provide high-quality educational opportunities for children with disabilities, demonstrating the ongoing importance of this transformative legislation.

Health and Social Services

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-resolution/521/all-info