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

The significant ruling in the case Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1972) is best characterized as establishing the right to special education for all children with disabilities. This landmark decision affirmed that children with intellectual disabilities have the right to a free and appropriate public education, laying the groundwork for future legislation that would further protect the educational rights of students with disabilities.

The ruling emphasized the importance of inclusion and access to education for all children, regardless of their disabilities, and ultimately contributed to the broader movement towards special education reform. Thus, the recognition of their right to education marked a pivotal moment in the development of special education services in the U.S. It laid the foundation for future policies and laws, such as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which ensured that children with disabilities receive the services they need within a mainstream educational environment.