Laws and Legislation

There are many laws that protect the civil rights of individuals with disabilities and provide guidance and procedural remedy. These laws originate at the federal level with some of them informing the basis for additional state law. For example, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law. Article 7 is Indiana's set of rules that mirror and extend what is written in IDEA.

Here is an OVERVIEW of the most relevant laws from the Indiana Department of Education website.

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2004

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) is a federal law that guarantees all eligible children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21 (or until the child graduates) the right to a free appropriate public education designed to meet their individual needs. 

SECTION 504

FERPA

REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973

OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

  • Click here for a video that discusses  jurisdiction, discrimination laws enforced by OCR, how to file a complaint and how complaints are resolved by OCR.
  • The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is a sub-agency of the U.S. Department of Education that is primarily focused on protecting civil rights in federally assisted education programs and prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual identity, handicap, age, or membership in patriotic youth organizations.
  • For assistance related to civil rights, you may contact the OCR headquarters office in Washington D.C. or In Indiana, the Office for Civil Rights is:

Chicago Office
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
Citigroup Center
500 West Madison Street, Suite 1475
Chicago, IL 60551-4544
Telephone: (312) 730-1560
Fax: (312) 730-1576
TDD: (800) 877-8339
Email: OCR.Chicago@ed.gov

FROM THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS