A black and white picture of people with disabilities protesting to get Section 504 signed

DOJ Opinion on Olmstead Threatens the Right of People With Disabilities to Live in the Community

/in , /by Jackie Dilworth

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a legal opinion that threatens one of the most important civil rights protections for people with disabilities: the right to live and receive services in the community, not be unnecessarily confined to institutions.

The opinion targets Olmstead v. L.C., the 1999 U.S. Supreme Court decision that recognized institutional isolation of people with disabilities as discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For more than 25 years, Olmstead has helped people with disabilities fight for the supports they need to live at home and in their communities.

This opinion isn’t a court decision. It doesn’t erase Olmstead or change Supreme Court precedent. It also doesn’t take away the ADA, Section 504, or the regulations that protect community living.

But it’s dangerous because rights mean less when the federal government refuses to enforce them. This opinion seeks to undermine one of the strongest protections people with disabilities have from being pushed into institutions when they can and want to live in the community. The DOJ itself acknowledges that this opinion is “out of step” with how federal courts have understood Olmstead.

For people with disabilities, this is about whether they can get services at home instead of being forced into a facility. It’s about whether children and adults with disabilities can stay connected to their family, friends, school, work, and community life. It’s about whether people have a meaningful way to protect their rights when a state or system says “no.”

“This opinion is a direct threat to decades of progress toward community living for people with disabilities which has always been at the heart of The Arc’s 75 years of advocacy,” said Shira Wakschlag, Senior Executive Officer of Legal Advocacy and General Counsel at The Arc of the United States. “Olmstead remains the law of the land, but this opinion tells people with disabilities that the federal government seeks to attack one of their most basic civil rights. People with disabilities shouldn’t be forced into institutions because a state refuses to provide services in the community. The Arc will keep fighting to protect Olmstead, Section 504, the ADA, and the right to live in the community.”

This is confusing and upsetting news, but it’s important to understand what has changed and what hasn’t. Here’s what people with disabilities, families, and advocates need to know right now:

  • Olmstead is still Supreme Court precedent
  • The ADA and Section 504 are still law
  • The integration mandate still exists in federal regulations
  • People’s rights have not disappeared
  • The federal government is signaling that it may stop enforcing key protections for community living
  • People with disabilities and advocates must stay alert, organized, and ready to push back

This isn’t the end of Olmstead. It’s the start of a new fight to protect it.

Disability rights aren’t always weakened through one big repeal. Sometimes they’re weakened through legal memos, withdrawn guidance, reduced enforcement, and regulations that get rolled back. That’s why this opinion matters.

Olmstead began with two women, Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson, who were held in a Georgia state hospital even after professionals said they could live in the community. Their case helped affirm a basic truth: people with disabilities shouldn’t have to live in institutions just to receive services.

For The Arc, this fight isn’t new. Our movement was built by families and people with disabilities who rejected institutionalization and demanded the right to live, learn, work, and belong in the community. Today, that fight continues in courtrooms, in Congress, in federal agencies, in state capitols, and through our 549 chapters across the country.

The DOJ opinion also comes as disability rights are being challenged from multiple directions, including lawsuits and policy efforts that seek to weaken Section 504, the ADA, and the integration mandate. The Arc is monitoring these threats closely, including Texas v. Kennedy, and will continue working with legal partners, chapters, and advocates to protect community living from every angle.

Community living is a civil right won by people with disabilities, families, and advocates who fought segregation for generations. People with disabilities belong in their communities, with the services and supports they need to live the lives they choose. The Arc will keep using every tool we have to protect that right.

DOJ Olmstead Opinion FAQ: What It Means for Disability Rights and Community Living

Does the DOJ opinion overturn Olmstead?

No, this opinion isn’t a court decision. It doesn’t overturn Olmstead v. L.C. or change Supreme Court precedent. The ADA, Section 504, and the integration mandate still exist. But the opinion is dangerous because it says the federal government may stop enforcing one of the strongest protections people with disabilities have against unnecessary institutionalization.

Is Olmstead still the law?

Yes, Olmstead is still the law. For 27 years, it has helped protect the right of people with disabilities to live and receive services in the community instead of being unnecessarily separated in institutions.

What is the integration mandate?

The integration mandate requires services to be provided in the most integrated setting appropriate. It helps protect the right of people with disabilities to live and get services in the community, not be forced into institutions when they can and want to live in the community.

What does the DOJ Olmstead opinion mean for people with disabilities?

Right now, people’s rights haven’t disappeared. But the federal government seeks to undermine one of the key protections for community living. That could make it harder for people with disabilities to get help from the federal government when they are denied services at home, pushed toward institutional care, or separated from community life.

Can people with disabilities still bring Olmstead claims?

Yes, people with disabilities can still bring Olmstead claims. The opinion doesn’t erase the ADA, Section 504, or the right to challenge unnecessary institutionalization. But if the federal government steps back from enforcement, people with disabilities and advocates may have to rely more heavily on private lawsuits, state advocacy, and disability rights organizations to protect these rights.

Picture of the U.S. Department of Education building in Washington, DC

Moving Special Education and Civil Rights Out of Education Department Risks a Patchwork of Rights for Students With Disabilities

/in , , /by Robyn Linscott

Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced plans to move the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The Arc of the United States warns that the move disregards federal law placing the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the Department of Education and would make it harder for students with disabilities to access services, resolve discrimination, and hold states accountable under IDEA, the 50-year-old law that guarantees a free appropriate public education tailored to each child’s unique needs.

This plan follows interagency agreements announced in November 2025 that began shifting major Education Department programs to other federal agencies. But these offices are supposed to work together. Students with disabilities need access to school, special education services, accommodations, accessibility, and civil rights enforcement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Moving that work across separate departments risks more confusion, longer delays, and less accountability for families and schools.

The Education Department says OSERS and OCR will keep their legal responsibilities and continue their work without interruption. Calling this a partnership doesn’t change what’s happening: core education and civil rights functions would be moved into agencies that weren’t created to oversee schools, special education, or education-based civil rights enforcement.

“Students with disabilities don’t experience school in agency silos,” said Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States and former Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the U.S. Department of Education. “A student who is denied services, disciplined for disability-related needs, or blocked from an accessible classroom needs one federal education system that can see the whole picture and act. Moving special education to HHS and civil rights enforcement to DOJ would split apart the offices responsible for making disability rights real in schools, leaving families chasing answers across the federal government instead of getting accountability from one education agency.”

“HHS and DOJ have important roles, but they weren’t built to replace the Department of Education’s school-specific expertise,” said Robyn Linscott, Director of Education and Family Policy at The Arc of the United States. “Moving IDEA oversight into HHS pushes students with disabilities toward a medical model, where disability is treated as a diagnosis to manage instead of a natural part of human life. When that mindset drives education decisions, students are more likely to be segregated, underestimated, or treated as separate from the school community. IDEA belongs in an education agency because it is about classrooms, IEP meetings, behavior support, accessibility, and whether students can learn alongside their peers.”

Why OSERS and OCR belong inside the Education Department

OSERS has two primary components: the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). OSERS oversees federal programs that shape the school experience for students with disabilities and help students move from school to work and community life. It distributes federal special education funding, provides guidance to states and schools, supports teacher training, funds research on effective instruction, and helps ensure students receive the services they are legally entitled to receive.

OCR investigates discrimination in schools, including disability discrimination involving accommodations, accessibility, harassment, restraint and seclusion, and discriminatory discipline. For many families, OCR is one of the few ways to seek federal enforcement without going straight to court.

Why IDEA belongs in an education agency

IDEA is an education and civil rights law. It was created because children with disabilities were excluded from public schools, denied instruction, or sent to institutions instead of being educated in their communities.

Moving IDEA oversight into the Department of Health and Human Services risks changing how the federal government understands and responds to students with disabilities. Instead of focusing on classroom access, instruction, inclusion, services, and school accountability, it could push decisions toward diagnosis, treatment, and care management. Students with disabilities may need health care and related services, but they are students first.

That distinction matters. A medical model can lead to lower expectations, more segregation, and decisions based on diagnosis instead of what a student needs to learn and participate in school. IDEA’s promise depends on schools seeing students with disabilities as full members of the school community. That work must stay connected to the federal education systems that guide schools, support educators, and hold states accountable.

What this could mean for families

Families already spend months, sometimes years, trying to get schools to follow the law. Splitting special education and civil rights enforcement across agencies could add another layer of confusion when students can’t afford to wait.

For families of students with disabilities, this could mean:

  • More confusion about where to go when a child is denied services or accommodations
  • Longer delays when a student is missing instruction, therapies, supports, or accessible materials
  • Less coordination between special education oversight and civil rights enforcement
  • More barriers when a student faces harassment, exclusion, restraint, seclusion, or discriminatory discipline

A student’s education shouldn’t depend on whether their family can figure out which federal agency now owns which piece of the law.

What this could mean for schools and states

Schools and state education agencies need clear, consistent federal guidance. Moving OSERS to HHS and OCR to DOJ could make it harder for states and districts to understand expectations and resolve problems early. This plan could lead to:

  • Conflicting guidance from different federal agencies
  • Slower answers on IDEA and Section 504 questions
  • Less coordination between funding, technical assistance, and enforcement
  • More uneven implementation across states
  • Greater risk that families in different places receive different levels of protection

Federal disability rights shouldn’t depend on a student’s ZIP code or on which agency happens to hold part of the responsibility.

Students can’t get back lost learning time

The Department of Education’s special education and civil rights offices have been weakened by staff cuts, office closures, and delays in enforcement. Recent reports and staffing changes have shown what happens when federal capacity shrinks: complaints take longer, guidance becomes less clear, and families are left wondering whether anyone is responsible for enforcing the law.

When a student with a disability goes without the services, accommodations, accessible materials, instruction, or behavior supports they need, the impact can last a lifetime, shaping whether they graduate, continue their education, find work, participate in their community, and feel like school is a place they belong.

Moving these offices out of the Department of Education would deepen that instability at the exact moment students, families, schools, and states need clarity. The rights in IDEA and Section 504 haven’t changed, but rights are only as strong as the systems that enforce them.

Why The Arc is taking action

The Arc has fought for the education rights of students with disabilities for decades. Our advocacy helped lay the groundwork for IDEA, and we have worked ever since to protect and strengthen the systems that make that law real for students and families.

The Arc is also a plaintiff in Somerville Public Schools et al. v. Trump et al., a federal lawsuit challenging efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. We joined that case because weakening federal education capacity threatens special education oversight, civil rights enforcement, and the ability of students with disabilities to access the education federal law promises them.

The Arc’s policy and legal advocacy teams continue to meet with policymakers and education officials to protect IDEA, Section 504, and the federal infrastructure students with disabilities rely on.

We urge Congress to step in immediately, assert its constitutional role over federal agencies, and keep critical education and civil rights programs where the law says they belong. Students’ rights may remain in statute, but those rights are only meaningful when families can access the systems that enforce them.

For reporters: interview availability

The Arc can connect reporters with national policy experts who can explain the impact of this decision on students with disabilities nationwide.

Robyn Linscott, Director of Education and Family Policy at The Arc of the United States, is available for interviews on what this move means for students with disabilities, families, schools, IDEA, Section 504, and federal civil rights enforcement.

Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States and former Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary in OSERS, is also available for interviews on the history and federal role of special education oversight.

More on the dismantling of the Department of Education

Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States, sitting in a white chair with a black binder on her lap smiling at the camera

A New Q&A Series Helps Journalists Cover Disability With More Accuracy and Respect

/in /by Jackie Dilworth

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities, or IDD, are part of every community. They are students, workers, voters, family members, advocates, neighbors, and people directly affected by the systems journalists cover every day.

But too often, people with IDD are left out of stories about disability, Medicaid, education, healthcare, housing, transportation, employment, criminal justice, and community life. When they’re included, coverage can still rely on outdated language, inaccessible interviews, narrow sourcing, or images that don’t reflect the full reality of people’s lives.

That’s why The Arc partnered with the National Press Club Journalism Institute on a three-part Q&A series to help journalists cover disability with more accuracy, accessibility, and respect.

The series features practical guidance from Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States, on interviewing people with IDD, avoiding harmful framing, and choosing visuals that represent people with disabilities as diverse participants in everyday life.

Disability Reporting Guidance for Journalists

The Q&A series focuses on three common gaps in disability coverage: who gets interviewed, how stories are framed, and what visuals are used.

Together, the series gives reporters, editors, producers, and photo editors practical ways to make disability coverage more accurate, accessible, and rooted in the lives of people with disabilities.

How & Why to Interview People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

This Q&A focuses on how journalists can make interviews more accessible and respectful for people with IDD. It includes guidance on asking what would make the interview work best, sharing questions in advance when helpful, using plain language, giving people time to process, and making sure people with IDD stay at the center of their own stories.

It also explains why people with IDD can be important sources on the policies, systems, barriers, and supports that shape daily life.

How to Choose Better Visuals for Disability Stories

This Q&A focuses on the visuals newsrooms use when covering disability. Too often, disability stories rely on the same narrow visuals, like isolated wheelchair images, hospital scenes, or photos that frame people with disabilities through pity or dependency.

The guidance offers practical standards for reporters, photo editors, and producers, including how to choose visuals that show people with disabilities in all their diversity and in real settings: at school, at work, with family, in the community, using technology, advocating, and participating in everyday life.

How to Avoid Outdated and Harmful Disability Language

This Q&A focuses on language and framing. The words journalists choose shape how audiences understand disability. The guidance explains how to avoid stereotypes, respect how people describe themselves, and cover disability as part of public policy, civil rights, and community life.

It also reminds newsrooms that disability coverage shouldn’t default to pity, tragedy, or treating someone as inspiring simply for existing.

Why Accurate Disability Reporting Matters for People With IDD

Coverage shapes public understanding. It influences how people think about disability, what policymakers pay attention to, and whether people with IDD are included in stories about the issues that affect their lives.

Better reporting starts with better sourcing, better questions, better language, and better visuals.

People with IDD should be included early in the reporting process, and not just in stories focused on disability issues. They should be asked what would make an interview work best. They should be given the same respect, preparation, and clarity any source deserves. And they shouldn’t be expected to represent an entire community.

The Arc Is a Resource for Journalists Covering IDD

Through our national office and chapter network, The Arc can provide background on intellectual and developmental disabilities, connect reporters with experts, and help identify people and families who may want to share their experiences when appropriate. For media inquiries and more resources, visit The Arc’s Press Center.

Read the Full National Press Club Journalism Institute Q&A Series:

Picture of a rally in front of the U.S. Capitol with someone holding a "Protect Medicaid" sign

The Arc Responds to Kennedy’s Medicaid and HCBS Comments

/in /by Jackie Dilworth

Statement from Katy Neas on RFK Jr.’s Medicaid and HCBS Comments:

“Recent comments from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a House Committee hearing, and similar statements from CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, reflect a troubling pattern of mischaracterizing Medicaid and the essential role of home and community-based services (HCBS). People with disabilities want to live in their communities with the support they need, on their own terms. We can all agree that protecting the integrity of the programs that provide these supports is important. But making broad and unsupported claims that HCBS, particularly services delivered by family caregivers, are ‘rife with fraud’ puts adults and children with disabilities, and their families, at risk of losing the help they need to live in the community.

After decades of institutionalization, people with disabilities and their families fought for the home and community-based services necessary for their independence, dignity, and inclusion. Some people with disabilities prefer that help to come from family members. Some rely on direct care workers who help people get up in the morning, get dressed, take medications, and participate in community life. Both provide essential support. Like the majority of Americans, many family members need to work to make ends meet, but they’re also contending with a serious shortage of direct care workers. For many families, a family member is not just often a preferred caregiver. They are the only reliable option.

We urge federal leaders to distinguish clearly between documented fraud and lawful services, and to work in partnership with the disability community to strengthen, not weaken, Medicaid and HCBS.”

Picture of the U.S. Department of Education building in Washington, DC

GAO Report Finds Education Department Civil Rights Enforcement Collapsing as Disability Complaints Go Unreviewed

/in /by Jackie Dilworth

Today, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report documenting major disruption at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and a sharp rise in the dismissal of discrimination complaints in schools, including those involving students with disabilities.

From March through September 2025, OCR received more than 9,000 discrimination complaints, and roughly 90% of the resolved cases were closed through dismissal. GAO also found that 247 OCR staff were placed on paid administrative leave starting March 21 and were not allowed to work for nearly nine months, a decision GAO estimates cost taxpayers up to $38 million.

For students with disabilities and their families, this translates into fewer answers, fewer opportunities, and fewer safeguards when schools fail to follow the law.

What GAO Found

The federal system that enforces students’ civil rights is breaking down in plain sight. Families are filing complaints, but far fewer get a real review, and schools get less clarity about what the law requires.

  • Most resolved cases ended without review. GAO reports OCR received 9,269 complaints from March through September 2025 and resolved 7,072. Of those resolved, 6,353 were dismissed, roughly 90%.
  • Taxpayers paid for investigators who were barred from doing their jobs. GAO estimates the cost of paying OCR staff who were placed on administrative leave while not allowed to work was $28.5 million to $38 million from March 21 through mid-December 2025.
  • Transparency dropped as disruption increased. GAO describes reduced public visibility into OCR’s workload and outcomes during this period.

A Disability Rights Perspective

“GAO shows OCR, the federal office families rely on when schools violate students’ civil rights, thrown into turmoil as complaints pile up and outcomes disappear from public view,” said Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States. “Families have a right to turn to OCR when a child is denied accommodations, pushed out of class, harassed, or disciplined unfairly because of disability. When those complaints aren’t addressed, schools lose clear direction, families lose answers, and students live with the consequences for years. Rights are only meaningful when enforcement exists.”

What This Means for Students with Disabilities and Families

When OCR can’t consistently review complaints, disability rights become harder to enforce in real life, including:

  • Accommodations and accessibility: support under IDEA and Section 504, accessible materials and technology, and physical access to buildings and programs
  • Harassment and hostile environments: bullying and disability-based harassment that schools fail to stop
  • Discipline and exclusion: suspensions, removals, or unequal discipline tied to disability, and students being pushed out of learning time
  • Services that shape adulthood: delays or denials of supports that affect graduation, employment pathways, and independence

Families often turn to OCR when local processes fail, when schools don’t follow the law, or when a student pays the price for repeated failures. GAO’s findings describe a system where many of those families are left without a meaningful federal backstop.

What This Means for Schools and Educators

OCR enforcement creates accountability and clearer expectations.

  • When enforcement is inconsistent, schools lose clear, reliable direction about what compliance looks like.
  • Disputes last longer and are more likely to escalate into conflict, due process, or litigation.
  • Students lose time they can’t get back, and that lost time can change their future.

How OCR Enforcement is Supposed to Work

  • A federal process that can be faster and less expensive than court
  • Outcomes that can be legally binding
  • A pathway that can help families resolve issues without years of litigation

What Should Happen Next

Disability advocates are urging immediate steps:

  • Stabilize staffing and operations so complaints can be reviewed on the merits.
  • Restore transparency so families and schools can see what is being processed and how.
  • Communicate clearly to families about timelines, options, and what happens when OCR dismisses a complaint.
A black and white picture of people with disabilities protesting to get Section 504 signed

Texas and Eight Other States Renew Attack on Section 504 and the Right of Disabled People to Live in Their Communities

/in , /by Jackie Dilworth

On January 23, 2026, Texas and eight other states—Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and South Dakota—renewed their attack on Section 504 and the integration mandate. The integration mandate is a requirement under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It allows people with disabilities to receive services in the community rather than in institutions. It was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in its landmark Olmstead v. L.C. (Lois Curtis) decision in 1999. We cannot let these states take away that right.

The nine states say that a rule about the integration mandate published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is unlawful and unconstitutional and should be blocked. The HHS rule says that state and local governments and any entity that gets HHS dollars must serve people with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate. The rule also says that entities may violate Section 504 when they place disabled people at serious risk of unnecessary institutionalization. The U.S. Department of Justice and many federal courts have said the same thing – that an entity can violate Section 504 when it fails to serve disabled people in the most integrated setting appropriate or when it puts them at serious risk of institutionalization.

If the states are successful in their challenge, it may be harder for disabled people to enforce their right to live and participate in the community. As a result, more people with disabilities may be forced into institutions when they can and want to live in the community instead. The disability community has fought long and hard for strong disability rights laws, and we cannot allow them to be weakened.

The states’ latest attack on disability rights is a revised version of the lawsuit Texas v. Kennedy (formerly Texas v. Becerra). In the earlier version of the case, Texas and 16 other states argued that Section 504 itself is unconstitutional and challenged updated Section 504 rules published by HHS in 2024. After outrage and advocacy from the disability community, the states withdrew their claim that Section 504 is unconstitutional. The remaining states continue to challenge the updated rules.

Eight states recently dropped out of the litigation after HHS proposed a package of three regulations aimed at the transgender community, including a regulation categorically excluding gender dysphoria from the protections of Section 504. Many disability groups, including the undersigned, have opposed this change to the Section 504 regulations.

In the new complaint, the states are now asking the court to:

  • declare that the entire Section 504 rule is unlawful,
  • stop HHS from enforcing the entire rule, and
  • stop HHS from telling states they cannot take actions that place people with disabilities at “serious risk” of institutionalization.

What Can I Do to Help?

We call on everyone in the nine states bringing this new attack on our autonomy and independence—Texas, Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and South Dakota—to urge their governors and attorneys general to withdraw this lawsuit and stop attacking the right of people with disabilities to live and participate in their communities. Information about how to contact the attorneys general in these states can be found at dredf.org/protect-504.

This update was created by The Arc of the United States, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Center for Public Representation, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, Justice in Aging, the National Health Law Program, with contributions by Alison Barkoff, Hirsh Health Law and Policy Associate Professor, George Washington University.

A black graphic that says "Forbes America's Top 100 Charities 2025"

Forbes Names The Arc #21 on America’s Top 100 Charities for 2025

/in /by Jackie Dilworth

Forbes has ranked The Arc of the United States #21 on its list of America’s Top 100 Charities for 2025. That puts The Arc in the top 25 charities nationwide, and the highest-ranked nonprofit focused on disability issues.

Key facts at a glance

  • Ranking: #21 on Forbes’ America’s Top 100 Charities (2025)
  • What it signals: strong financial stewardship and accountability
  • What your support powers: disability rights, special education, and community-based supports

This recognition matters because trust matters. When you support a nonprofit, you deserve to know your time and resources are used carefully and responsibly. Forbes uses financial measures like private donations and efficiency. This ranking reinforces what people with disabilities, families, and partners know every day: The Arc shows up, and we stay.

For 75 years, The Arc has worked alongside people with disabilities and their families to protect rights and expand opportunity. We partner with advocates, corporations, and lawmakers from across the political spectrum so people with disabilities and their families aren’t an afterthought when decisions get made.

What this ranking cannot measure, but families live every day

The Forbes ranking can’t fully measure what makes The Arc essential. It can’t measure what happens when a parent needs answers fast or when a student’s rights are ignored or when a family is left without the services they need to survive.

It also can’t capture historical impact. Many of the rights and supports people with disabilities rely on today exist because The Arc pushed for them, year after year: federal special education protections, the right to live at home instead of in an institution, income and care supports, and civil rights that show up in daily life. The Arc helped open those doors, and we keep working to make sure they stay open.

What The Arc did in 2025, and why it matters for 2026

In 2025, critical supports were on the chopping block and remain at risk heading into next year. Families faced growing fear about health care, special education, and basic dignity. The Arc never stopped centering people with disabilities and their families in national debates.

We fought to protect health care and services that allow people to live safely at home and in their communities. We defended special education and joined a major lawsuit to protect federal oversight. We pushed back when dignity and civil rights were at risk. We made sure national media coverage reflected the real lives of people with disabilities and their families, not stereotypes or soundbites. Together with people like you, we sent 658,208 messages to Congress in 2025, helping shape decisions that affect families nationwide.

That work doesn’t stop on December 31.

As we head into 2026, more families are turning to The Arc for guidance, advocacy, and stability. We’re ready for what comes next, but we can’t do it without public support.

Why The Arc is one of the best charities to support right now

The Arc is one of the best charities to donate to in 2025 because we combine national reach with direct impact. We do the hard work that protects daily life: nonpartisan advocacy, legal action, and grassroots organizing that helps families get answers and keeps disability rights on the public record.

Our work is recognized by independent charity watchdogs, national media, and now Forbes.

If you’re considering a year-end donation, Forbes’ recognition is one more reason to give with confidence. Your gift supports work that protects health care, special education, and civil rights for millions of people with disabilities and their families.

Please make a gift today to support The Arc’s work in 2026.

If giving isn’t possible right now, sharing our work, taking action, and staying connected makes a difference.

Thank you for trusting The Arc and for helping ensure this work continues.

FAQ

What does Forbes’ America’s Top 100 Charities list measure?
It highlights the largest charities using financial measures like private donations and efficiency.

Is The Arc a good charity to donate to right now?
Yes. Forbes ranked The Arc #21 for 2025, and your donation fuels disability rights advocacy, legal action, and grassroots support that affects daily life.

What does The Arc do?
The Arc advocates for and supports people with disabilities and their families, with a focus on rights, inclusion, and access to needed supports.

Picture of the U.S. Department of Education building in Washington, DC

The Arc Joins Lawsuit to Protect the U.S. Department of Education and the Rights of Students With Disabilities

/in /by Jackie Dilworth

The Arc of the United States has joined a major lawsuit challenging federal actions to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. The case, Somerville Public Schools et al v. Trump et al, argues that because the Department was created by Congress, it cannot be restructured or eliminated without Congressional approval. The lawsuit also asserts that recent mass layoffs and other efforts to stop the Department’s work have stripped away essential protections for students with disabilities.

At the center of the case is a question with national impact: What happens to students with disabilities when the very offices that support them and protect their education rights are gone?

Since early 2025, thousands of Department employees have been laid off, including nearly all staff in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). These offices are the backbone of federal enforcement for disability education laws. They:

  • Ensure schools follow the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
  • Distribute education funding to states and schools
  • Investigate discrimination complaints
  • Fund research on effective teaching strategies
  • Support training and retention of special educators
  • Coordinate transition services that help youth with disabilities prepare for employment and independent living

The absence of these offices threatens to unravel decades of progress toward equal educational opportunity.

The Arc joined this lawsuit as a plaintiff to help ensure the Department remains fully functional, open, and accountable to students with disabilities and their families.

What Is the Somerville v. Trump Case About and Why Did The Arc Join It?

In March 2025, nearly half of the Department of Education’s 4,133 employees were fired, including many responsible for implementing and enforcing federal disability education laws.

A coalition of educators, school districts, and unions filed a lawsuit soon after to stop the mass layoffs and dismantling of the Department. In April 2025, The Arc filed a declaration in support of the lawsuit, explaining how these changes would harm students with disabilities and their families.

In May 2025, a district court judge issued an injunction temporarily stopping the mass firings and dismantling. Two months later, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the firings and efforts to dismantle the Department of Education to continue while the case proceeds in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

In October 2025, the situation worsened when nearly all remaining staff in the OSERS were laid off during the government shutdown, leaving only a few employees to oversee the nation’s special education and vocational rehabilitation systems. These layoffs were reversed in mid-November as part of a deal to end the shutdown.

The Arc joined the lawsuit as a plaintiff on November 25, 2025.

Why Is the U.S. Department of Education So Important for Students With Disabilities?

The Department of Education plays a central role in protecting the rights of students with disabilities and ensuring that schools have the tools and guidance to meet students’ needs.

The Department’s core responsibilities include:

  • The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) implements and oversees federal laws like IDEA and Section 504, ensuring that every child receives a free and appropriate public education.
  • The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) provides teacher training, technical assistance, and guidance to help schools support students with disabilities.
  • The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) helps youth with disabilities transition from school to work and community life.
  • The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) investigates disability discrimination in schools under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504, as well as other statutes, allowing families to resolve legal issues without going to court.

When these offices lose staff and resources, families lose access to the federal safety net that ensures their children can learn, participate, and thrive.

How Could Dismantling the Department of Education Affect Students With Disabilities?

Weakening or eliminating the Department of Education will make it harder for students with disabilities to receive the education they are guaranteed under federal law. These cuts could reduce enforcement of disability rights, slow the distribution of IDEA funding, and limit training and guidance that schools and teachers rely on to support their students.

The impact is deeply personal. It affects whether:

  • A child with Down syndrome receives the therapies outlined in their Individualized Education Program (IEP)
  • A teenager with autism has access to vocational and transition services
  • A parent can challenge a school’s failure to provide necessary accommodations

For many, the Department of Education has been the last line of defense against discrimination and neglect. Without it, families face inconsistent state standards, longer wait times, and fewer options for resolving disputes.

What Is The Arc’s Role in Protecting Special Education and Disability Rights?

The Arc joined this lawsuit to defend the rights of students with disabilities to a free, appropriate public education guaranteed by federal law. The Arc’s involvement ensures that the voices of families and people with disabilities are represented as the case moves forward.

This action builds on The Arc’s long history of advancing educational rights through litigation and advocacy. In 1971, The Arc of Pennsylvania brought PARC v. Pennsylvania, the landmark case that established the constitutional right to a public education for children with intellectual disabilities. That decision paved the way for IDEA and the modern Department of Education.

Today, The Arc continues to advocate through the courts and with partners nationwide to ensure every student with a disability has the opportunity to learn, grow, and belong in their community.

Learn More About the Department of Education Lawsuit and Disability Rights

Written by Shira Wakschlag, Senior Executive Officer of Legal Advocacy and General Counsel, and Katy Neas, Chief Executive Officer of The Arc of the United States. Both are available for media interviews.

Drew Ann Long and her daughter Caroline, who has Rett Syndrome, in a specially designed cart for people with disabilities

The Arc Partners With Caroline’s Cart to Promote Inclusion in Retail Spaces

/in /by Jackie Dilworth

New partnership places The Arc’s logo and QR code on Caroline’s Carts nationwide, advancing accessibility and inclusion in everyday shopping.

Caroline’s Cart, the first patented special needs grocery cart designed for older children and adults with disabilities, is proud to announce a new partnership with The Arc, the nation’s leading advocacy organization for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Beginning this October, every Caroline’s Cart will feature a sticker displaying The Arc’s logo along with a QR code for families and caregivers to request the cart locally—an initiative that underscores a shared commitment to inclusion and accessibility in retail environments.

Caroline’s Carts are in stores across all 50 states and eight countries. Families, caregivers, senior adults, and retailers rely on them to shop with dignity and inclusion. Founder & inventor, Drew Ann Long’s journey from stay-at-home mom to nationally recognized innovator has been celebrated by The Today Show, CNN, Inside Edition, CBS News, and praised by Michelle Obama and advocacy groups across the U.S.

By prominently displaying The Arc’s logo on Caroline’s Carts nationwide, the collaboration aims to expand awareness while making everyday shopping more inclusive for families, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities. The Arc’s mission is to promote and protect the human rights of people with IDD and actively support their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.

This new chapter builds on the vision of Drew Ann Long, founder and inventor of Caroline’s Cart, inspired by her daughter Caroline, who was born in 2000 with Rett Syndrome, a neurological disorder that disrupts brain development. As Caroline outgrew traditional shopping carts, shopping became an activity that required extreme effort and planning for her family. Drew Ann first sketched the design for a cart Caroline could fit in on a napkin, later bringing the patented cart to life. Without prior experience in engineering or manufacturing, she successfully navigated product development, patents, and brand building—even personally funding the first 100 carts. She ultimately created a movement that is changing the way retailers view accessibility.

“This partnership with The Arc is a powerful step toward creating retail spaces that are truly inclusive,” said Drew Ann Long, Founder of Caroline’s Cart. “By displaying their logo on our carts, we are not only enhancing the shopping experience for families but also sending a clear message that inclusion matters.”

“When a store offers Caroline’s Carts, it sends a powerful message: families that include people with disabilities belong here,” said Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States. “For decades, The Arc has pushed for inclusion not just in policy, but in the everyday places where life happens. By joining forces with Caroline’s Cart, we’re making sure that a simple trip to the store becomes one more place where families feel dignity, connection, and welcome.”

In addition to this partnership, Drew Ann Long will serve as one of the closing speakers at The Arc’s annual convention in North Carolina, where she will share her story of innovation, perseverance, and the impact of creating products that empower families and communities.

Since its inception, Caroline’s Cart has been a game-changer for families, making shopping possible, safer, and inclusive. With this new collaboration, Drew Ann Long continues her mission to make everyday experiences more accessible for all. She urges all retailers who have not yet adopted Caroline’s Cart to consider offering this essential resource, ensuring greater accessibility for customers and families with disabilities.

To request a cart locally, please visit: https://idrpp.usu.edu/uatp/files/carolines-cart-request-form-us.pdf

About Caroline’s Cart:
Caroline’s Cart is the first patented special needs grocery cart designed for older children and adults with disabilities. Invented by Drew Ann Long and inspired by her daughter Caroline, the cart has become a global solution for families, caregivers, and retailers committed to inclusion. Today, it is found in major stores across all 50 states and eight countries.

About The Arc of the United States:
The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy, and other diagnoses. Founded in 1950 by parents who knew their disabled children deserved more, The Arc is now the largest grassroots organization for people with IDD with nearly 600 chapters in 48 states and Washington, DC. Together, we are promoting and protecting the rights of people with disabilities and supporting their inclusion throughout their lives—from education to employment to community living. There are approximately 7.4 million people with IDD in the United States, which encompasses over 100 different diagnoses. Visit www.thearc.org or follow us @TheArcUS to learn more.

A white woman on a city street holding a cardboard protest sign that says "Education for All"

Department of Education Condemned for Ending Support for Students With Disabilities

/in /by Jackie Dilworth

Broad Coalition of Disability, Civil Rights, and Education Organizations Call for Reversal of Layoffs at Department of Education

A broad coalition of national, state, and local disability, civil rights, and education organizations is sounding the alarm over sweeping layoffs at the U.S. Department of Education. These cuts have gutted key offices—including the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE)—threatening decades of progress in protecting students with disabilities.

These wholesale terminations place fundamental education laws in peril and place millions of children with disabilities at risk who receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. These layoffs circumvent the will of Congress and dismantle 50 years of precedent upholding rights for students with disabilities. Without personnel to oversee these laws, the Department cannot provide essential leadership, oversight, guidance, or support to states and schools—jeopardizing students’ access to a free, appropriate public education and hampering the ability of states and localities to serve all students. In addition, the terminations also threaten the vocational rehabilitation system that helps youth and adults with disabilities become employed.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of IDEA, a law that has enjoyed strong bipartisan support for five decades. Rather than celebrating progress, we face a crisis: the dismantling of the very infrastructure Congress created to ensure children with disabilities could reach their full potential, potentially catapulting them back to a time of segregation and refusal to provide educational opportunities.

The undersigned organizations urge the Administration and Congress to reverse course immediately and restore staffing and transparency at the U.S. Department of Education. Strong federal leadership is not optional, it’s a moral and legal obligation for our nation’s children with disabilities.

National Organizations:
AACTE: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
Access Ready Inc.
Accessible College LLC
ACVREP
AFT, AFL-CIO
All4Ed
Allies for Independence
American Association of People with Disabilities
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
American Atheists
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
American Council of Blind Families
American Council of the Blind Next Generation
American Council of the Blind
American Therapeutic Recreation Association
Angelman Syndrome Foundation
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired
Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs
Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE)
Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL)
Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO)
Association of University Centers on Disabilities
Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD)
Autism Science Foundation
Autism Society of America
Autism Speaks
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
Black Down Syndrome Association
Caring Across Generations
CEC Division on Visual Impairment and DeafBlindness
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
Center for Public Representation
Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
Coalition on Human Needs
Common Coalition
CommunicationFIRST
Complex and Chronic Conditions, The Division for Physical, Health and Multiple Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children (CCC-DPHMD)
Council for Exceptional Children
Council for Learning Disabilities
Council of Administrators of Special Education
Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA)
Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR)
Cure SMA
Dan Marino Foundation
DCDT
Disability Belongs
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
Diverse Charter Schools Coalition
Division for Communication, Language and D/HH
Division for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Learners (DDEL)
Division for Early Childhood
Division for Emotional and Behavioral Health (DEBH)
Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
Division for Research, Council for Exceptional Children
Division of International Special Education and Services
Division of Leaders and Legacy
Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities
Division on Career Development and Transition
Down Syndrome Affiliates In Action
Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta
Easterseals, Inc.
EDGE Partners
EdTrust
Educating All Learners Alliance
Education Law Center
Educators for Excellence
First Focus on Children
Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics
GLSEN
Griffin-Hammis Associates
Inclusive Development Partners (IDP)
Innovations in Special Education Technology (ISET) Division of Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
International Council on Development and Learning
Low Vision Technology
MomsRising
Muscular Dystrophy Association
NAACP
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors (NACBHDD)
National Association of Private Special Education Centers (NAPSEC)
National Association of School Psychologists
National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI)
National Center for Learning Disabilities
National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities (NCPEID)
National Council on Independent Living
National DeafBlind Coalition
National Disability Action
National Disability Institute
National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)
National Down Syndrome Congress
National Down Syndrome Society
National Education Association
National Family Association for DeafBlind
National Federation of the Blind
National Health Law Program
National Rural Education Association
National Women’s Law Center
Orientation and Mobility Specialist Association
Parents for Public Schools
PreK-12 Programs, New America
Prevent Blindness
School Social Work Association of America
SchoolHouse Connection
SELF – Special Education Leader Fellowship
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)
SPAN Parent Advocacy Network, Inc.
Success Beyond Sight
TDIforAccess
Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children
The Advocacy Institute
The Arc of the United States
The Association for the Gifted – Council for Exceptional Children
The Carroll Center for the Blind
The Center for Learner Equity
The Division of Evaluation and Assessment for Learning (DEAL)
The Hussman Institute for Autism
The National Association for Down Syndrome
The National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS)
The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies
The Sibling Leadership Network (SLN)
TSC Alliance
United Spinal Association
United States International Council on Disabilities
VisionServe Alliance
ZERO TO THREE

State and Local Organizations:
ABLE New Hampshire
Advance Illinois
AHRC NYC
Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program
Alaska School Psychologists Association
All Blind Children of Texas
Alliance of and for Visually Impaired Texans
American Council of the Blind of Indiana
American Council of the Blind of Ohio
Arc Mid-Hudson
Arc of Onondaga
ARC of Rockland
Arizona Council for Exceptional Children (AZCEC)
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families
Arts Education in Maryland Schools (AEMS)
Arts Every Day, Inc.
ASAH
Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc.
Association of School Psychologists of Pennsylvania (ASPP)
Autism Kids
Autistic Women’s Alliance
Beaver County Association for the Blind
Black Educator Advocates Network
Braille Revival League of Texas
California Alliance of Child and Family Services
California Association of O&M Specialists-CAOMS
California Association of School Psychologists
California Council for Exceptional Children
California Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition
Center of Vision Enhancement
Chautauqua County Chapter, NYSARC, Inc. dba The Resource Center
Choices For Community Living, Inc.
Clinton ARC
Club 21 Learning and Resource Center
Coalition for Adequate Funding for Special Education
Coastal Alabama Down Syndrome Society
Collaborative for Exceptional Education
CompassIL
Connections Day School
DBMAT – Deafblind Multihandicapped Association of Texas
DeafBlind Community of Texas
Delaware Association of School Psychologists
Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council
Delaware Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens (GACEC)
Designer Genes of North Dakota
DGCKids
Disability Law Center
Disability Law Center of Utah
Disability Law Center of Virginia
Disability Rights Arizona
Disability Rights Arkansas
Disability Rights California
Disability Rights Center – New Hampshire
Disability Rights Center of Kansas
Disability Rights Connecticut
Disability Rights Delaware of Community Legal Aid Society, Inc.
Disability Rights Florida
Disability Rights Iowa
Disability Rights Louisiana
Disability Rights Maine
Disability Rights Maryland
Disability Rights Mississippi
Disability Rights Montana
Disability Rights Nebraska
Disability Rights New Jersey
Disability Rights New Mexico
Disability Rights New York
Disability Rights North Carolina
Disability Rights Ohio
Disability Rights Oregon
Disability Rights South Carolina
Disability Rights Vermont
Disability Rights Washington
Disability Rights Wisconsin
Down Syndrome Advocates in Action Nebraska
Down Syndrome Alabama
Down Syndrome Alliance of the Midlands
Down Syndrome Association for Families
Down Syndrome Association of Maryland
Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida
Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma
Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas
Down Syndrome Association of Delaware
Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis
Down Syndrome Association of Houston
Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee
Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota
Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Indiana
Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Ohio
Down Syndrome Association of Orange County
Down Syndrome Association of Southern Maryland
Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin
Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area
Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida
Down Syndrome Foundation of Orange County
Down Syndrome Foundation of Tallahassee
Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas
Down Syndrome Network of Montgomery County, MD
Down Syndrome Network of Onslow and Carteret Counties (DSNOCC)
Down Syndrome Network of West Virginia
Down Syndrome of Louisville
Down to Defend, Michigan
ElevateDD
Engage New Hampshire
Families for Strong Public Schools
Families In Schools
Family Voices NJ
FIRSTwnc
Georgia Association of School Psychologists
Georgia Council of Exceptional Children
Golden Triangle Council of the Blind
Greater Louisville Council of the Blind
Hawai`i Association of School Psychologists
Hawaii Disability Rights Center
Honesty for Ohio Education
Idaho Council for Exceptional Children
Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education
Illinois Families for Public Schools
IN-SIGHT
Incompass Human Services, Inc.
InControl Wisconsin
Indiana Coalition for Public Education
Indiana Council for Exceptional Children
Indiana Disability Rights
Inland Valley Down Syndrome Association
Kansas Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc.
Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children
Kentucky Protection and Advocacy
Kern Down Syndrome Network
Kids First Chicago
Learn In My Shoes
Lifeworks, Inc.
Manatee County Council of the Blind
Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities at Kennedy Krieger Institute
Maryland Citizens for the Arts
Maryland Dance Education Association
Maryland Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition
Maryland Education Coalition (MEC)
Maryland School Psychologists’ Association
Maryland Theater Education Association
Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress
Mercer County Association of the Blind
Michigan Council for Exceptional Children
Mississippi Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities
Mississippi Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition
Missouri Council for Exceptional Children
Montgomery County Association for the Blind
Native American Disability Law Center
Nebraska School Psychologists Association
Nevada Council of the Blind
Nevada Disability Advocacy & Law Center
New Hampshire Assoc of Special Education Administrators
New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities
New York State Council for Administrators of Special Education
New York State Council For Exceptional Children
NH Universal Changing Stations Alliance
NJ Community Schools Coalition
NYSARC Inc., Liberty ARC
NYSARC Inc., Warren, Washington and Albany Counties Chapter
Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities in Puerto Rico (PR P&A)
Ohio School Psychologists Association
Oklahoma Disability Law Center
Our Children Our Schools New Jersey
PACER Center
Parent Information Center of Delaware
Parent to Parent of Georgia Inc
Parents Helping Parents Together, Inc
Parents of Children with Down Syndrome (PODS) of Prince George’s Co. MD
Partnership for Extraordinary Minds (xMinds)
Pennsylvania Association for the Blind
Pennsylvania Council Of The Blind
Pennsylvania Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition
People’s Arc of Suffolk
Pine Belt Down Syndrome Outreach
Protection & Advocacy System, Inc, Wyoming
Rocky Mountain Down Syndrome Association
Rural Schools Association of New York
Save Our Schools Arizona
Save Our Schools NJ
SC Partnership of Disability Organizations
Sights for Hope
South Carolina Association of School Psychologists
St. Louis Arc
State Council for Persons with Disabilities
Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowement (SOCM)
Strategies for Disability Equity
Streamwood Behavioral Health Systems Innovations Academy
Strong Schools Maryland
Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations
Tennessee Council for Exceptional Children
Texas Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (TAER)
Texas Association of School Psychologists
The Arc Alliance, Pennsylvania
The Arc Arapahoe, Douglas & Elbert Counties
The Arc Chemung Schuyler
The Arc Erie County, PA
The Arc Greater Hudson Valley
The Arc Maryland
The Arc Michigan
The Arc Montgomery County
The Arc New York
The Arc of Alabama
The Arc of Arizona
The Arc of Aurora
The Arc of California
The Arc of Dane County
The Arc of Delaware
The Arc of Delaware County (NYS)
The Arc of East Central Iowa
The Arc of Greater Beaumont
The Arc of Greater Pittsburgh
The Arc of Illinois
The Arc of Iowa
The Arc of King County
The Arc of Macomb County, Inc.
The Arc of Monroe
The Arc of NC
The Arc of Ohio
The Arc of Philadelphia
The Arc of Rensselaer County
The Arc of Snohomish County
The Arc of South Carolina
The Arc of the Piedmont
The Arc of Washington State
The Arc Ontario
The Arc Otsego
The Arc Rockland
The Arc Westchester
The Austin Council of the Blind
The Disability Law Center of Alaska
The Down Syndrome Association of Connecticut
The San Diego Center for the Blind
The South Carolina Human Services Providers Association
Utah Council for Exceptional Children
Venango County Association for the Blind
Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Vermont Association of School Psychologist
Vermont Council for Exceptional Children
VIA (Visually Impaired Advancement)
VIPS (Vision Interventions and Parental Support)
Virginia Academy of School Psychologists (VASP)
Virginia Council for Exceptional Children
Virginia Down Syndrome Association
Vision Forward Association
VisionCorps
Washington State Association of School Psychologists (WSASP)
Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools
Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities
Wisconsin Public Education Action
Wisconsin School Psychologists Association