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PRINTER'S NO. 2612
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 370
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY D. MILLER, BENHAM, BRENNAN, VENKAT, HADDOCK,
RIVERA, PROBST, McNEILL, HILL-EVANS, SANCHEZ, GALLAGHER AND
BELLMON, NOVEMBER 17, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, NOVEMBER 17, 2025
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing November 29, 2025, as the "50th Anniversary of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Prior to the passage of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act, many schools refused to enroll
students with disabilities or lacked the resources and guidance
to provide an inclusive, appropriate education, which severely
limited academic opportunities for these students; and
WHEREAS, During the 1970s, it was estimated that more than 1
million students with disabilities were fully excluded from the
education system, and many more were being denied an appropriate
education, causing advocates to urge congressional action; and
WHEREAS, On November 29, 1975, President Gerald Ford signed
into law the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which
was renamed in 1990 as the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act; and
WHEREAS, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
guarantees a free and appropriate public education to all
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students with disabilities in every public school throughout the
50 states; and
WHEREAS, This landmark act contains many important provisions
to achieve this goal, including requirements for states to
identify, locate and evaluate all students in need of special
education services, procedural safeguards to protect the rights
of children with disabilities and their families and the
creation of individualized education programs to establish
measurable academic goals for students and define services that
a school will provide for a student in need of special education
services; and
WHEREAS, The act also ensures that children with disabilities
receive early intervention services from birth to five years of
age, at no cost to their families; and
WHEREAS, Federal funding is allocated through the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act to assist states and schools
with providing necessary services to students with disabilities;
and
WHEREAS, To be eligible for services under the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act, a student must meet 1 of the 13
disability categories defined under the act and be in need of
special education services; and
WHEREAS, According to the National Center for Education
Statistics, the number of students being served under the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act reached an all-time
high of 7.5 million as of the 2022-2023 school year; and
WHEREAS, During the 2022-2023 school year, students with
disabilities made up 21% of Pennsylvania's public school student
population, which was the highest percentage among the 50
states; and
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WHEREAS, For 50 years, the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act has protected and created new opportunities for
our most vulnerable students by ensuring their right to a free
and appropriate public education; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize
November 29, 2025, as the "50th Anniversary of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act" in Pennsylvania.
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