Colleges, Trade Schools, and the ADA
In elementary and high school, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) gives every student with a disability the right to a free and appropriate public education until they are 22 years old. In college and trade schools, students with disabilities have legal rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Colleges, Trade Schools, and the ADA FAQ
After high school, the laws that protect students with disabilities change. Read below to learn your rights.
Is the ADA only for students at colleges and trade schools?
No. The ADA gives rights to any person who wants to enter the school. For example, teachers and parents in wheelchairs who want to get into the college or trade school have the right to get in. That means the buildings have to be built with ramps.
Does the ADA cover colleges, universities, and trade schools?
Yes. Title II of the ADA covers colleges, universities, and trade schools that are public. Title III of the ADA covers colleges, universities, and trade schools that are private. Public schools are ones that are state-owned and run. meaning they are state-owned and -run. If a college, university, or trade school gets any money from the federal government, students also have rights under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Do colleges, universities, and trade schools have to make accommodations for students with disabilities?
Yes. The ADA says that all these places have to make reasonable modifications and accommodations to help students with disabilities. This can be anything from giving a student more time to take a test to allowing a service animal to come to class.
Sometimes a college, university, or trade school does not have to make an accommodation if it can show that the changes would too hard or too much money.
Are organizations that give tests or certifications covered by the ADA?
Yes. Places that give students tests like the Medical College Admissions Test or the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar are covered by the ADA. This means that students can ask for reasonable accommodations.
Who makes sure colleges, universities, and trade schools follow the ADA?
In Illinois, the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights is in charge of making sure these places follow the ADA.
If you have any questions or want to report someone not following the ADA, contact:
Chicago Office
Office of Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
Citigroup Center
500 W. Madison St., Suite 1475
Chicago, IL 60661-4544
Telephone: 312-730-1560
FAX: 312-730-1576
Email: OCR.Chicago@ed.gov
