Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
General Information
- Civil rights legislation to ensure that each individual, regardless of disability is free from discrimination and, therefore, has the access to, rights to, and opportunities for employment, public services, public accommodations, and telecommunications that nondisabled persons have
- Covers employment, public services, public accommodations and services operated by private entities, telecommunications, and miscellaneous provides. The first three most directly affect educators.
- Extends the reach of Section 504 in order to further protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination
- Includes private schools
Student Information
- Prohibits certain questions pertaining to disabilities
- Mandates that reasonable accommodations be made for otherwise qualified individuals with mental or physical disabilities
- Facilities of public accommodation must be accessible to individuals with disabilities
School Information
- School districts employing 50 or more individuals must complete a self-evaluation to be kept on file for at least three years
- If a district has already completed a Section 504 evaluation, only those policies and practices not yet reviewed must be considered in order to comply
Violation Information
- Enforcement is the responsibility of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Department of Justice, and the Federal Communications Commission
- Complaints must be made to the appropriate agency (above) within 180 days of the alleged incident of within 300 days if the complaint must be filed first with a designated sate or local fair employment practices agency
