FTCE Exceptional Student Education (ESE) K-12 Practice Test

Which act extended educational services to preschool children with disabilities?

1. Public Law 95-56

2. Public Law 94-142

3. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

4. Education of the Handicapped Act

The correct answer is: Public Law 94-142

The correct answer is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This landmark legislation, originally passed in 1975 and reauthorized several times, fundamentally changed the landscape of special education by ensuring that children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and are included in the educational system alongside their nondisabled peers. One of the key provisions of IDEA, particularly in its amendments, is the inclusion of preschool-aged children with disabilities. This expansion aimed to provide early intervention services and educational opportunities to young children, emphasizing the importance of starting support early to foster better developmental outcomes. The other acts listed either do not specifically focus on preschool children or have a more limited scope regarding special education services compared to IDEA. Public Law 94-142, for example, is the original version of what became known as IDEA but did not include the focus on preschool education as explicitly as IDEA does. Public Law 95-56 and the Education of the Handicapped Act do not encompass the broad range of services for preschoolers that IDEA established. Therefore, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is recognized for extending educational services to preschool children with disabilities.