Overview
The Arc of the United States advances and defends the education rights of students with disabilities under IDEA, Section 504, and related laws. We track federal oversight, enforce rights through policy and legal advocacy, and help families understand protections.
Latest developments: Staffing cuts at the U.S. Department of Education have deeply affected the Office of Special Education & Rehabilitative Services. Read our statement on how reduced federal capacity harms compliance and technical assistance.
What federal laws protect students:
- The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was the first disability civil rights law to be enacted in the U.S. and includes Section 504, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in programs that receive federal financial assistance.
- Section 504 set the stage for the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, which prohibits discrimination in all areas of public life, including schools and all public and private places that are open to the general public.
- The most significant law for students with disabilities is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which requires a free appropriate public education, appropriate evaluation, an individualized education plan, least restrictive environment, parent participation, and procedural safeguards.
Read our position statement on education for more.
Why This Matters Now
Students with disabilities still face barriers to identification, services, inclusion, and effective dispute resolution. Federal oversight and technical assistance help states apply the law consistently and protect families’ rights.
Despite the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requiring that students with disabilities be educated to the maximum extent that is appropriate with students who do not have disabilities, many students remain segregated in self-contained classrooms or in separate schools.
There is also a lack of qualified special education teachers, with nearly every state reporting a shortage of teachers and related service personnel.
Additionally, restraint and seclusion remains widely unregulated, used disproportionately on students with disabilities, and frequently results in injury, trauma, and sometimes even death.
What The Arc Is Doing
- Policy change: We advocate for full IDEA funding, strong civil rights protections, and resources for oversight and technical assistance. The Arc’s Public Policy Goals include many strategies to ensure that the promises of laws like IDEA, ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act), and the ADA are met. The Arc joins partner organizations in advocacy to ensure the needs of students with disabilities are included and properly addressed when education legislation arises.
- Guidance to families: We create resources and tools for families and educators, like The Arc@School.
- Grassroots advocacy: We mobilize self-advocates and families to share lived experience with decision-makers.
- Legal advocacy: We participate in litigation and amicus briefs when rights are at stake. including at the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Coalition leadership: We serve on and help lead the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Education Task Force, coordinating national strategy, developing joint letters and testimony, and aligning advocacy across disability organizations.
Restraint and Seclusion
The Arc supports legislation to ban seclusion, limit restraint to true emergencies, and provide schools with proven effective alternatives to these harmful practices. Federal legislation to reduce the use of restraint and seclusion was first introduced in 2009 and The Arc continues to support the Keeping All Students Safe Act, which has failed to repeatedly pass Congress.
How You Can Help
There are many ways to advocate with and support The Arc’s grassroots movement.
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Help strengthen our policy advocacy efforts to protect critical programs.
The Arc promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.
