Do students with disabilities have a federally protected right to attend charter schools?
Yes. Section 504 specifically prohibits discrimination solely on the basis of disability to public and private programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. Children who attend charter schools are covered by these civil rights laws in the same way as children in any other public school. (Edit) –> What is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)? The IDEA provides federal financial assistance to state education agencies (SEAs) and local education agencies (LEAs) to guarantee special education and related services to eligible children with disabilities. Every state receives these funds and must follow all of IDEA’s specific procedures, including those for an evaluation to determine if students are eligible for special education and the additional requirements for subsequent services and re-evaluation. (Edit) –> What are the basic requirements of IDEA? The basic requirements, often discussed using a set of acronyms, are: • IEP: The term individualized
