What primary concept is mandated by Public Law 94-142 regarding education for students with disabilities?

The primary concept mandated by Public Law 94-142, also known as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, is Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). This law established the right of students with disabilities to receive educational services that are tailored to their individual needs at no cost to their families. The intent of FAPE is to ensure that students with disabilities have access to the same educational opportunities as their non-disabled peers, thereby promoting equality and inclusion in the educational environment.

FAPE requires that schools provide special education and related services in accordance with the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), which is a mechanism for outlining specific educational goals and the services needed to achieve them. However, while the IEP is crucial for implementing FAPE, the fundamental mandate of Public Law 94-142 is centered on the provision of appropriate educational services free of charge.

This legislation also introduced concepts like Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and Zero Reject and Child Find, but these serve as supporting frameworks within the broader context of ensuring FAPE. LRE emphasizes that students with disabilities should be educated with their non-disabled peers to the greatest extent appropriate, and Zero Reject mandates that no child with a disability can be denied access to public education.