North Dakota Protection & Advocacy Project
Current Priorities & Resources: Agency Priorities: Education
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) specifies that no one with a disability can be excluded from participating in federally funded programs or activities, including elementary, secondary or postsecondary schooling. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public schools to make available, to all eligible children with disabilities, a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their individual needs. While these are federal laws, North Dakota has complementary state laws.
P&A recognizes that students with disabilities often experience difficulty with obtaining equal access and full participation in the educational system. It is P&A's goal for students with disabilities to receive educational services consistent with their disability-related rights. P&A acts as an advocate specifically for the student.
Within the priority area of Education, P&A is focusing on the following areas:
- identification and evaluation of students with disabilities under IDEA and Section 504;
- implementation of students' Individualized Education Plans (IEP's) and Section 504 Plans;
- positive behavioral supports being used as a proactive approach to address behaviors that interfere with learning;
- appropriate planning and services for transition from Early Intervention to Preschool and from K-12 to postsecondary education;
- students having access to needed assistive technology;
- the provision of reasonable accommodations for students in postsecondary education.
