The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation to remove the terms mentally retarded and mental retardation from federal laws, to be replaced with “intellectually disabled/disabilities.” The bill, already approved by the Senate and sent to the president, is called “Rosa’s Law”, for Rosa Marcellino, a 9-year-old from Maryland with Down syndrome.
A version of this article appeared in the October 06, 2010 edition of Education Week as ‘Intellectual Disability,” Not ‘Retardation’
Reprints, Photocopies and Licensing of Content
All content on Education Week's websites is protected by copyright. No part of this publication shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic or otherwise, without the written permission of the copyright holder. Readers may make up to 5 print copies of this publication at no cost for personal, non-commercial use, provided that each includes a full citation of the source. For additional print copies, or for permission for other uses of the content, visit www.edweek.org/help/reprints-photocopies-and-licensing-of-content or email reprints@educationweek.org and include information on how you would like to use the content. Want to seamlessly share more EdWeek content with your colleagues? Contact us today at pages.edweek.org/ew-for-districts-learn-more.html to learn about how group online subscriptions can complement professional learning in your district or organization.
Copyright © 2025 by Editorial Projects in Education, Inc. All rights reserved.