Advocacy in the courts
On March 21, 2023, the United States Supreme Court unanimously held in Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools, 143 S. Ct. 859 (2023) that a student with a disability does not have to exhaust the administrative due process procedures of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) before filing a lawsuit seeking compensatory damages under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other federal anti-discrimination laws.
On March 22, 2017, the Supreme Court of the United States, in an 8-0 ruling in the Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, ruled that schools must do more than provide a “merely more than de minimis” education for students with disabilities and instead must provide them with an opportunity to make "appropriately ambitious" progress.
“When all is said and done,” wrote Chief Justice John G. Roberts, “a student offered an education program providing a ‘merely more than de minimis’ progress from year to year can hardly be said to have been offered an education at all.”
Advocate in your community
Communities are the central source of support and guidance for those with disabilities. By increasing awareness and education about laws, groups, programs that support those with disabilities and those in need, NYAFA is pioneering the space for improved awareness and advocacy. Join a community group or national organization. Come be part of the solution to stop discrimination and expel bad actors from our schools, agencies and organizations. Get involved.