IDEA

A United States federal law enacted in 1990 (reauthorized in 2004) that guarantees students with disabilities the right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment. IDEA requires schools to develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for each eligible student, specifying the accommodations, modifications, and related services they need. The law covers children from birth through age 21 and mandates that states provide early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, IDEA's requirements became a point of significant debate as the abrupt transition to remote learning threatened the delivery of mandated services — a legislative proposal to waive IDEA requirements during the pandemic was ultimately not adopted, affirming that disability education rights persist even during emergencies.