eipa

EIPA stands for the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1974, a landmark piece of United States legislation. This act, later renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), was a significant step towards ensuring that children with disabilities received a free and appropriate public education. It mandated that schools identify, locate, and evaluate all children suspected of having disabilities and develop individualized education programs (IEPs) for those who qualified. The IEP process involves parents, educators, and sometimes other professionals to create a tailored educational plan for each child. EIPA also established procedural safeguards to protect the rights of children with disabilities and their parents, including the right to due process. The amendments aimed to provide resources and support to schools to better serve these students and promote their inclusion in the least restrictive environment possible. EIPA has been reauthorized and amended several times since its initial passage, evolving into the comprehensive IDEA that exists today.