Professors Ashby, Ferri Weigh In on Section 504 Update

For the first time in 45 years, the US Department of Education is planning to update federal mandates for how schools and colleges must accommodate students with disabilities. The department is soliciting public comments about how current regulations can be improved under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Christine Ashby headshot
Professor Christine Ashby

“The passage of Section 504 was a landmark and hard-fought moment in the disability rights movement. It was a tremendous step toward ending disability-based discrimination and promoting full rights of people with disabilities in education and employment settings,” says Christine Ashby, Director of the Center on Disability and Inclusion and Professor of Inclusive Special Education and Disability Studies at Syracuse University School of Education. “But 45 years later, the promise of the law has not been fully realized. Far too many students lack access to appropriate supports and services and many face diminished opportunities and segregation from non-disabled peers.” Read full story.