What Parents Need to Know About the Section 504 Lawsuit
If your child has a 504 plan at school, you might have heard some buzz about a new lawsuit that could impact disability protections. Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s happening and what it could mean for families like yours.
What’s Going On?
A group of states has filed a lawsuit (Texas v. Becerra) challenging the rules around Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. This law makes sure kids with disabilities get the accommodations they need in school—things like extra time on tests, quiet spaces, or other supports that help them succeed.
Why Does This Matter?
Section 504 has been around for 50 years, making sure schools and other federally funded programs don’t discriminate against people with disabilities. If this lawsuit succeeds, it could change how these protections work, which has many parents, educators, advocates, and providers (such as our team!) worried. Our professional organization, ASHA, reports that some advocates have been told when contacting their attorneys general that “there is no intent to eliminate the entire Section 504 from the law.” However, the text of the lawsuit specifically asks the court to “declare 504 unconstitutional.”
What Should Parents Do?
Right now, nothing is changing—but it’s always good to stay informed. If your child has a 504 plan, keep in touch with their school. You can also stay connected with advocacy groups that support disability rights.
More Resources
Check out Understood.org for more details on this important issue.
Learn about the work of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) on this lawsuit.
Here is information about the lawsuit presented in ASL.