The odds that a school district might be asked to allow a service dog or miniature horse into one of its facilities have increased tremendously in light of new legislative changes. With those changes comes a host of fresh challenges for school administrators and policy makers--not the least of which are complex disability discrimination laws and…

A major expense associated with litigating disputes under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the right of parents who succeed in suits against their school boards to recover attorney fees. Yet until recently, boards were generally unable to recover attorney fees from parents even when they succeeded in demonstrating that…

Students with disabilities are entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). If school officials fail to provide students with a FAPE, the courts may grant appropriate relief. Courts often direct educators to provide students with disabilities with a FAPE and to compensate…

In most school systems in the United States, interscholastic sporting events and other extracurricular activities help bring people together while enhancing opportunities for students to become integral parts of their communities. Because of the important role that extracurricular activities, especially sports, play in the lives of students,…

Federal law does not require school boards to provide transportation for all students. But the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) entitles students with disabilities to transportation to and from school if the students' disabilities make it difficult for them to get to school; from, in, and around the buildings where they attend…

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), once students with disabilities receive educational placements, school officials cannot unilaterally change their settings. When officials wish to change the placements of students with disabilities for any reason, they must not only notify their parents of their intent to do so…

In 1990, Congress enacted the Americans with Disabilities Act as a comprehensive mandate to eliminate discrimination against individuals with disabilities. The ADA's primary intent was to extend the protection of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The major difference between the two laws is that Section 504 applies to programs that…

Providing services for students with disabilities can be costly for school districts. Districts are required by law to fund the primary expenses of a special-education program; however, most spend far more than is legally mandatory. This situation puts those districts without sufficient resources to meet their obligations to educate special-needs…

The overlapping coverage and effects on education services and related access issues associated with the 1973 Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are extraordinary. This article explains eligibility, scope of protection, and extensive architectural…

The 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act amendments include discipline-related provisions that expand school officials' authority to deal with disabled students caught with weapons or drugs or exhibiting dangerous behaviors and clarify procedures governing manifestation determination, provision of educational services during…

A prime mover behind larger space requirements is expansion of legal entitlements for children with disabilities, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The list of architectural interventions has lengthened, and is matched by burgeoning effects on space and budgets. Nonphysical barriers must also be addressed. (MLH)

Historically, it was more convenient to remove the disabled from the social mainstream than to integrate them in schools or provide jobs or training. This article traces progress made by case law and federal legislation, including the 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act, 1973 Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), and 1990 Individuals with…

Examines equity issues pertaining to special-education students, finance systems, and taxpayers. The major student equity focus is "inclusion." After passage of IDEA, reducing the number of restrictive special-education placements has become a clearly articulated policy objective. There is a movement away from cost-based to census-based…

Senator Robert Dole comments on his amendment to Goals 2000 that would require a study of the act's impact on students with disabilities, the obligations of state and local authorities to rebuild schools, and school choice. Dole concludes with his belief that Congress has a responsibility to help fund the high costs of educating physically and…

Less than half the nation's gifted students are placed in appropriate educational settings. The Javits Gifted and Talented Students Act acknowledges the need for special programs for these children, but doesn't mandate their creation. The legal status of programs for the gifted contrasts sharply with those for children in special education. This…