MAAPS Celebrating IDEA 50 Years Blog Series
50 Years of IDEA: The work is not done, but we are here for it.
October 9, 2025
Reflection submitted by Rebecca Altepeter, Head of School, Dearborn Academy
As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), we are reminded that this landmark law is more than policy, it is a promise. A promise that every child, regardless of ability, has the right to a free and appropriate education.
This milestone offers an opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment to IDEA. For fifty years, these protections have opened doors for millions of students and strengthened the inclusive communities that make our schools and our society better for all.
MAAPS is honoring this anniversary by sharing reflections from our member schools—stories that show how IDEA’s legacy continues to thrive in classrooms today. The following piece, written by Rebecca Altpeter, Head of School at Dearborn Academy, reflects how one therapeutic day school in Newton, Massachusetts carries forward the spirit of IDEA every day.
“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)—a groundbreaking federal law that forever changed the landscape of American education. In 1975, IDEA (then the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) established a revolutionary principle: that every child, regardless of disability, deserves access to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment. At Dearborn Academy, that principle is not just a legal standard—it’s the heart of our mission. Located in Newton, MA, Dearborn Academy is a therapeutic day school serving students in grades 3–12 from more than 60 districts across Massachusetts. Our students arrive with unique profiles—often including learning disabilities, anxiety, OCD, and/or school avoidance. They’ve faced barriers to accessing traditional school settings. We exist to change that.
Our work is IDEA in action:
🔹 We design individualized programs that meet each student where they are.
🔹 We integrate clinical and academic supports to nurture the whole child.
🔹 We believe in the power of belonging.
🔹 And we never define students by what they can’t do—we focus on what they can become.
IDEA was never just about access—it was about equity. It called on schools to build systems that adapt to students, not force students to adapt to systems. That’s what we strive for every day…
We see IDEA’s impact in the 7th grader who now reads fluently after years of struggle.
In the high school student managing anxiety who just gave a class presentation.
In the graduate who returned to their home district and is now on the honor roll.
In every student who finally believes: “You belong here. You can do this.”
For 50 years, IDEA has empowered schools like ours to challenge assumptions, remove barriers, and reimagine what success looks like. But it’s also a reminder: equity in education is a continuous journey. The promise of IDEA isn’t fulfilled by compliance—it’s fulfilled by compassion, commitment, and collaboration.
At Dearborn Academy, we’re proud to live out that promise every day. As we reflect on this milestone, we honor the students, families, educators, and advocates who fought for this law—and those who continue to push it forward.
The work is not done. But we are here for it.”