Introduction
In our previous post, Understanding IDEA: An Introduction to Special Education Law, we introduced the fundamental principles of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Today, we’re diving deeper into one of the most influential Supreme Court cases interpreting IDEA: the Rowley Supreme Court IDEA decision (Board of Education v. Rowley, 1982). This landmark case shaped the standard for what constitutes a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and continues to guide special education law in the Second Circuit and nationwide.