The hard work, commitment and passion for those who work in Special Education classrooms will be recognized on December 3, 2009, which has been declared “The Day of the Special Educator”.

Before President Gerald Ford signed the nation's first special education law on December 2, 1975, many students were denied access to education and opportunities to learn. The fate of many children with disabilities was likely to be dim.

"States had laws excluding certain students, including children who were deaf, blind, emotionally disturbed, or mentally retarded," points out Linda Nimer, CARS+ president. "Too often persons with disabilities were merely accommodated rather than assessed, educated, and rehabilitated."

That was all changed because of Public Law 94-142, now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which assures a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to all children with disabilities in states receiving federal funds.

"The true spirit of the law could not be met without the right people to make this happen," acknowledges Dr. Phyllis Kaplan, retired Coordinator of the Mild/Moderate Credential and Master’s Degree Program at California State University East Bay in Hayward. "Special educators have vast knowledge of learning differences and how to meet their students unique needs."

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