Office of Civil Rights

Supporting Students with Disabilities and Avoiding the Discriminatory Use of Student Discipline under Section 504

On July 19, 2022, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services released multiple guidance documents to help public elementary and secondary schools fulfill their responsibilities to meet the needs of students with disabilities and avoid the discriminatory use of student discipline. These newly released resources are the most comprehensive guidance on the civil rights of students with disabilities concerning student discipline, and include: (1) a 41-page guidance on avoiding the discriminatory use of student discipline under Section 504; (2) an accompanying fact sheet summarizing the main points of the guidance; (3) a 57-page Q&A regarding IDEA’s disciplinary provisions; (4) a 19-page technical assistance guide describing positive, proactive approaches to supporing the needs of children with disabilities; and (5) a letter from Secretary of Education Cardona to stakeholders. Read more about and connect with each document in CPIR’s abstract.

OCR’s Restraint and Seclusion Agreement with Saco Public Schools in Maine

(2021, November 5) | Relevant to Parent Centers, families of children with disabilities, disability advocates, and state and local public education systems with respect to policies and practices regarding restraint and seclusion of children with disabilities   The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education has resolved its compliance review of […]

Know Your Rights in Charter Schools

On December 28, 2016, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) at U.S. Department of Education released a set of guidance resources on the rights of students with disabilities in public charter schools under Section 504 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The set of resources includes:

a jointly-issued Dear Colleague Letter,
several question-and-answer documents, and
a Know Your Rights fact sheet.

Parent and Educator Resource Guide to Section 504

(2016, December) | Useful to Parent Centers for sharing with staff, students with disabilities, families, schools, and other stakeholders. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education has released the Parent and Educator Resource Guide to Section 504 in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools. The 52-page resource guide provides a broad overview of […]

On the Legal Limits of Using Restraint or Seclusion

(2016, December) | Useful to Parent Centers for sharing with staff, students with disabilities, families, schools, and other stakeholders. The Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education has released a suite of resources on the use of restraint and seclusion in public schools. This suite includes the following: Dear Colleague Letter on […]

Dear Colleague Letter on Preventing Racial Discrimination in Special Education

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education issued a 25-page Dear Colleague Letter on Preventing Racial Discrimination in Special Education on December 12, 2016, to help ensure that all students, regardless of race, color, or national origin, have equitable access to high-quality general and special education instruction.

Final IDEA Part B Regulations on Disproportionality

(2016, December) | Useful to Parent Centers, stakeholders, and advocates concerned with addressing the significant disproportionality with which students from specific ethnic or racial groups are placed in special education. On December 12, 2016, the U.S. Department of Education released final regulations under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), aimed at promoting […]

Helping Justice-Involved Youth Transition Back to Traditional School Settings

(2016, December) | Useful to Parent Centers, advocates, families, and youth with disabilities involved in the juvenile justice system. From the U.S. Department of Education, this suite of resources is intended to help justice-involved youth make a successful transition back to traditional school settings. These resources promote successful transitions by emphasizing the importance of early […]

Dear Colleague Letter and Resource Guide on Students with ADHD

(July 2016) | Available in English, Arabic, Spanish, and Vietnamese On July 26, 2016, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued guidance clarifying the obligation of schools to provide students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with equal educational opportunity under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The guidance provides a […]

Ensuring English Learner Students Have Equal Access to High-Quality Education

The U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Justice (DOJ) released joint guidance reminding states, school districts and schools of their obligations under federal law to ensure that English learner students have equal access to a high-quality education and the opportunity to achieve their full academic potential. The Departments also released additional tools and resources to […]