Updated February 27, 2026 Every child with a disability deserves the chance to learn, belong, and thrive in school. The federal special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), guarantees a free, appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities. To be eligible, a child must have a disability and need specialized instruction […]
https://thearc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Special-Education-375x400-1.jpg400376Jackie Dilworth/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ArcLogo_Color_Rev_PNG_WEB.pngJackie Dilworth2026-02-06 12:41:102026-02-27 11:58:47IEP Rights Explained: What Every Parent and Educator Should Know
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. ...
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear Hamm v. Smith, a case that will determine how courts apply the death penalty to people with intellectual disability. At issue is whether judges...
In a fast-moving case with massive consequences for education, the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education to continue while a legal challenge plays out. The...
Can a federal court stop the government from enforcing a harmful policy that violates people’s rights, even if those people aren’t part of a lawsuit? That’s the core question in Trump v. CASA, a...
What happens when a worker with a disability retires and then faces discrimination in the benefits they were promised? That was the question at the heart of Stanley v. City of Sanford, a case that mad...
If you’re on Medicaid, you’re supposed to be able to choose your own doctor. That right still technically exists, but now you can’t go to court to enforce it if states take that choice away. The...
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to issue a ruling in a case that could have had a major impact on how people with disabilities fight discrimination through class action lawsuits. The case, LabCorp v. ...
On June 12, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court released its decision in A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools, a case that could’ve shook the very foundation of disability civil rights. The Court ruled that studen...
In May 2025, The Arc and other disability rights organizations filed an amicus brief in support of the Plaintiffs-Appellants in the case Jonathan R. v. Morrisey. The case is about children with disabi...
