Supporting Students with Disabilities
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued guidance on the rights of public-school students with disabilities, including behavioral disabilities, at the elementary and secondary education level, to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability, under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, in the context of discipline. OCR also issued a fact sheet summarizing key points in the Section 504 guidance for students with disabilities and their parents. The document recommends that tardiness, absenteeism, or “subjective” offenses like defiance or disrespect, should not result in a suspension. Additionally, children with disabilities removed from regular classrooms for more serious offenses, or because they could harm themselves or others, must continue to receive special education services.
