AUCD Statement on the 50th Anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), AUCD reflects on a time before IDEA, when children with disabilities were denied access to public education, excluded from classrooms, or sent to institutions instead of being given the opportunity to learn, grow, and belong in their communities. IDEA fundamentally changed that reality, recognizing and enshrining the inherent worth of every child; guaranteeing disabled students the right to a free, appropriate public education.

Today, as special education faces renewed attacks and efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education threaten the systems that protect students’ rights, AUCD is clear: we will not go back.

• AUCD affirms that every student with a disability is a full and valued member of our schools and communities.
  
  
• AUCD affirms that students with disabilities have the right to high-quality, inclusive education.
  
  
• And AUCD affirms that the dignity, potential, and humanity of students with disabilities must remain at the center of every policy decision.

IDEA’s promise is unfinished, and we remain committed to advancing equity, access, and opportunity for all students with disabilities—for the next 50 years and beyond.

Take action: https://aucd.quorum.us/campaign/148743/