The Arc@School Resource Directory

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The Arc@School’s Resource Directory includes contact information for important special education advocacy resources that must exist in every state, including the protection and advocacy program and parent centers funded under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); the state agencies that are responsible for overseeing special education and early intervention services; as well as some chapters of The Arc that offer special education advocacy to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The Arc does not endorse any of the resources listed in this directory.

The Arc@School Advocacy Curriculum

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While the process of determining what services and supports a student with disabilities needs at school is meant to be collaborative, the process can break down when students or their families and school staff disagree about the supports the student needs. Federal laws describe the services and supports available to students with disabilities, but students and parents often struggle to advocate on their own for appropriate educational services, and many seek help from a special education advocate. While both attorneys and non-attorney lay advocates are available to assist students and their families, lay advocates are an important resource for students and families who cannot afford an attorney, cannot find an attorney, or want to resolve their disagreements without involving an attorney. This curriculum is designed for individuals who are working with or advocating on behalf of children with disabilities in special education matters, including: chapters of The Arc; non-attorney advocates not affiliated with The Arc; parents and other family members; educators and related service providers. The curriculum is available at no cost for chapters of The Arc and for just $175 for all other advocates.

Center for Parent Information and Resources Library

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There are nearly 100 Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) in the US and Territories. These Centers perform a variety of direct services for children and youth with disabilities, families, professionals, and other organizations that support them. Some of the activities include: working with families of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities from birth to 26; helping parents participate effectively in their children’s education and development; and partnering with professionals and policy makers to improve outcomes for all children with disabilities. Find webinars, articles, stand-alone pages, and publications important to families of children with disabilities in the CPIR Resource Library. This is an external resource.

Understood: For Learning and Attention Issues

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Resources on the Understood website empower parents to understand their children’s issues and relate to their experiences. Resources include well-researched, practical information that’s easy to apply to everyday life; daily access to expert advice that’s free of charge, clearly communicated, and never influenced by commercial interests; and a secure community where parents can trade tips and experiences with other parents like them. This is an external resource.

I’m Determined

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This project facilitates youth, especially those with disabilities, to undertake a measure of control in their lives, helping to set and steer the course rather than remaining the silent passenger. This is an external resource.

Think College

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Think College supports evidence-based and student-centered research and practice by generating and sharing knowledge, guiding institutional change, informing public policy, and engaging with students, professionals and families. Valuable resources include a searchable college directory and a family resources page to answer some of the most frequently asked questions that families have about college options. This is an external resource.

Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates

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COPAA’s mission is to protect and enforce the legal and civil rights of students with disabilities and their families. Our primary goal is to secure high quality educational services and to promote excellence in advocacy. This is an external resource.

National Disability Rights Network

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NDRN is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) systems and Client Assistance Programs (CAP), collectively the largest provider of legally based advocacy services for people with disabilities in the US. This is an external resource.

Affordable Care Act Amicus Briefs

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State: Texas

Filed: April 1, 2019; May 13, 2020

Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, U.S. Supreme Court

Overview: The briefs support the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and outline how the ACA has been essential to overcoming the disproportionate impact that America’s health care crisis has had on people with disabilities.

Excerpt: “…declaring the ACA unconstitutional in its entirety will uniquely and extensively harm [the disability] community…Congress could not have intended to inflict such harm upon people with disabilities when it removed the financial penalty associated with the ACA’s individual mandate but left the provisions above intact. And it is even more unlikely that it intended to do so without otherwise protecting disabled people who would shoulder much of the burden of invalidating the entire ACA. This Court should not ascribe such an intent to Congress and should reverse the district court’s decision which strips away the significant gains that people with disabilities have made since the ACA’s passage.”

Case Documents

Fifth Circuit Amicus Brief

Supreme Court Amicus Brief

Related Media

Press Release: “The Arc Joins Appellate Court Amicus Brief Outlining Critical Importance of ACA for People with Disabilities”

Press Release: “The Arc Deeply Troubled by Affordable Care Act Ruling”

Press Release: “The Arc Joins Supreme Court Amicus Brief Urging Court to Uphold Affordable Care Act, Congressional Protections for People with Disabilities”

Press Release: “The Arc’s Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Ruling in California v. Texas“

Think Before You Drink Brochure

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This brochure encourages women to think twice before drinking alcohol while pregnant. It is useful in public health clinics, doctor’s offices, schools, and anywhere more education is needed about the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant.