dad helping young daughter with homework

What Is National Special Education Day?

Categorized in: Special Needs Family Posted on: Last updated on: Written by: Comments: 0

Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving Day! You may also have observed some of the days attached to Thanksgiving:

  • Black Friday
  • Cyber Monday
  • Giving Tuesday

If you’re a churchgoer, you may know that in 2024, “Thanksgiving Sunday” (December 1) was also the first Sunday of Advent. And some readers probably know that December 2 wasn’t just Cyber Monday. It was also Special Education Day.

What’s This Day All About?

National Special Education Day celebrates the anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. IDEA, which became U.S. law in 1975, provides for:

  • Guaranteed free education for children with disabilities
  • Early intervention to prepare children for school environments
  • Inclusive and non-restrictive classrooms, where disabled students learn alongside non-disabled peers
  • Individual accommodations (e.g., sensory breaks, modified curricula, free assistive technology)
  • Further development of effective special-education programs
  • Recognizing disability as “a natural part of the human experience” that “in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society”

In 2005 (the 30th anniversary of IDEA), December 2 became National Special Education Day, an annual recognition of IDEA goals and those working to achieve them.

Honoring Special Education

If you missed Special Education Day 2024, don’t worry: any day is a good day to support special education and the values behind it. Some suggestions:

  • Look up other special-education laws on the U.S. Congress website or your state government’s website.
  • Read books and articles on the history of special education.
  • Attend special-education seminars and expos.
  • Write a note of appreciation to a special-ed teacher.
  • Share a story of how special education helped your family.
  • Attend town halls or school board meetings. Learn what your district is doing to support disabled students and inclusivity.
  • If you belong to an association that holds meetings, suggest inviting guest speakers who work with special education.
  • Ask to sit in on a special-ed class. Note ideas you could share with others.
  • Support a Best Buddies or similar program that helps students with disabilities build peer relationships.
  • Help plan events for National Special Education Day 2025. (For the 50th anniversary of IDEA, it should be a big year!)

Resources

Leave a Reply