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Education Laws & Regulations

Your gateway to information about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age and religion. Learn more about the ADA and other disability rights laws.

Information from the Council for Exceptional Children on how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) impacts special education and early intervention and how it will impact students, schools and states.

Fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission with answers to common questions regarding the ADA.

The U.S. Department of Justice provides information about the ADA through a toll-free information line (1-800-514-0301). This service permits businesses, state and local governments and others to ask questions about general or specific ADA requirements and order ADA technical assistance materials.

Discusses the procedures for resolving ADA complaints through the U.S. Department of Justice Mediation Program.

Final U.S. Department of Justice rules concerning nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in state and local government services.

U.S. Department of Justice regulations regarding nondiscrimination on the basis of disability by public accommodations and in commercial facilities.

Covers the requirements of Title III of the ADA as it applies to public accommodations, commercial facilities and private entities offering certain examinations and courses.

Resources and information regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a law which ensures services to children with disabilities throughout the nation.

There are 14 primary disabilities included in the IDEA under the definition of child with a disability. These definitions guide how states define disability, and determine eligibility for a free public education under special education laws.

Fact sheet concerning ADA requirements for privately-run child care centers.

Technical assistance for state departments of education, parents and school administrators using mediation and other collaborative strategies to resolve disagreements about special education and early intervention programs.

Provides up-to-date information on IDEA and other laws relevant to special education.

Annual reports to Congress on implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Amendments to the regulations governing the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Programs as part of the President's Regulatory Reinvention Initiative to remove unnecessary regulations, clarify program requirements and improve the selection criteria.

Answers from the U.S. Department of Education about educational requirements under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Policy guidance to address the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as they apply to the education of blind and visually impaired students.

Answers to common questions about educating children with disabilities, including the differences between the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Legislation regarding the program that provides financial assistance through state education agencies to schools with high numbers of poor children so that all children meet state academic content and achievement standards.

ESEA program description regarding the purpose, eligibility and awards to local education agencies and schools with high numbers of poor children to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Information and training, about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA '04) for families and advocates and referrals to national, state, and local disability organizations and advocates.

Preliminary guidance to help states and school districts ensure that every homeless child or youth receives the same educational opportunities, including public preschool education, as other children.

Overview of 11 federal laws and links to federal agencies to contact for more information.

Assists educators, parents and state and local educational agencies in implementing the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regarding IEPs for children with disabilities.

Provides easy access to information, from research to practice, on initiatives funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) that address the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and No Child Left Behind.

Information about the Impact Aid Law, now Title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), which provides assistance to local school districts with concentrations of children residing on Indian lands, military bases, low-rent housing properties or other federal properties.

August 2005 report from the National Council on Disability examines whether parents or school districts have the burden of proof in special education litigation.

Information and resources about the IDEA from the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY).

Web site of the IDEA Partnership, which is dedicated to improving outcomes for students and youth with disabilities by joining state agencies and stakeholders through shared work and learning.

Document from the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) examines how the new IDEIA differs from IDEA '97.

Summary of proposed rule eliminating reimbursement under medicaid for school administration expenditures and costs related to transportation of school-age children between home and school. This link opens a PDF document.

A central source for information on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) as it relates to children with disabilities and effective educational practices.

Comprehensive Web site of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), which contains the most sweeping changes to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act since it was enacted in 1965.

Discusses implications of NCLB for students with learning disabilities.

A January 2008 report from the National Council on Disability (NCD) about the No Child Left Behind Act and the IDEA and how educators across the country are reexamining their practices to find ways to close the achievement gaps between groups of students.

Information and resources on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) from the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability/Youth.

An online resource designed to help school district officials and parents understand how the reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides for students with disabilities enrolled by their parents in private elementary schools and secondary schools. Document is in Word format.

Links to information on No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the U.S. Department of Education's budget and strategic plan.

Amendments to regulations governing the State Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program.

Information regarding the placement of students with disabilities in elementary and secondary schools under Section 504 and Title II of the ADA.

Publication designed for youth and adults working with them to learn about disability disclosure. This Workbook will help young people make informed decisions about whether or not to disclose their disability and understand how that decision may impact their education, employment and social lives.

For students with disabilities, a big factor in their successful transition from high school to postsecondary education is accurate knowledge about their civil rights. This guide provides high school educators with answers to questions students with disabilities may have as they get ready to move to the postsecondary education environment.

Hundreds of articles, cases, newsletters and resources about special education law and advocacy.

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Categories of Disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
There are 14 primary disabilities included in the IDEA under the definition of child with a disability. These definitions guide how states define disability, and determine eligibility for a free public education under special education laws.
Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004
Resources and information regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a law which ensures services to children with disabilities throughout the nation.
Child Care Centers & the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Frequently Asked Questions
Fact sheet concerning ADA requirements for privately-run child care centers.
The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities
Publication designed for youth and adults working with them to learn about disability disclosure. This Workbook will help young people make informed decisions about whether or not to disclose their disability and understand how that decision may impact their education, employment and social lives.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Frequently Asked Questions
Fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission with answers to common questions regarding the ADA.