Supporting

Students:
Federal Laws
1973 SECTION 504 - under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Purpose: A federal civil rights law that bans disability discrimination at public schools.
Facts: 1. T he law also applies to colleges and private schools that get federal funding.
2. It covers students of all ages and it can protect the students that don’t qualify
for special education under IDEA.
3. It protects students that have a physical or mental disability that limits a major
life activity such as reading and learning.

1990 ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act

Purpose: It was the first civil rights law to protect people with disabilities. The disability
must limit or restrict a major life activity.
Facts: 1. It is enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
2. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in state and local
government offices, public accommodations, transportation and
telecommunications.
3. E
 mployers with fewer than 15 employees are not covered by the ADA, but
may be covered under state and local laws.

2004 IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Purpose: The law requires schools to give special education and related services to
students who have disabilities and need those services.
Facts: 1. A principle of IDEA is that schools must provide students with disabilities a
free and appropriate education (FAPE) and that is done by starting with an
Individualized Education Program (IEP). An IEP includes what services they
will receive and their goals for the year.
2. A principle of IDEA is that the student should be in the Least Restrictive
Environment (LRE). This is where students with disabilities should be in
regular schools and classrooms whenever possible. The goal is to have an
inclusion classroom where there are students with special needs participating
in lessons and extracurricular activities in a general classroom with all
students.
3. IDEA has laws that protect the privacy of the students education records
called Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
4. It helps students from birth through high school who have one of the
13 disabilities listed in the law.