Are there different legal requirements that apply to charter schools located in existing facilities as compared to newer facilities?
A10. Yes. For existing facilities, a charter schools programs and activities, when viewed in their entirety, must be readily accessible to individuals with disabilities. Both the Section 504 and Title II regulations permit considerable flexibility in meeting this legal standard. For example, structural changes are not required in existing facilities if nonstructural methods are effective in achieving program accessibility. For new construction and alterations, Section 504 and Title II require that a new or altered facility (or the part that is new or altered) must be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. The focus here is on providing physical access to buildings and facilities in addition to programs and activities. This means you must make sure that a child with a physical disability has access to every part of the new building or the parts that are newly-altered. For example, if your charter school is in a new building, all parts of the building, includi
