Laws

The federal government, in an effort to lessen the impact a student’s disability might have on their performance in a post-secondary educational institution, passed two important federal laws that require colleges to “level” the playing field for students with disabilities.

The first law, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, was passed in 1973. This law states that: “No otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States shall, solely by reason of their handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” Section 504 in effect guarantees the right of entrance and participation to America’s colleges by individuals with disabilities. By participation, that means that individuals with disabilities can request modifications, accommodations, or auxiliary aids which enable them to participate and benefit from all post-secondary educational programs and activities. For additional information see Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

The second law, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed in 1990, is the civil rights guarantee for persons with disabilities in the United States. It provides protection from discrimination for individuals on the basis of their disability. The ADA extends civil rights protections for people with disabilities to employment in the public and private sectors, transportation, public accommodations, services provided by state and local government, and telecommunications relay services.  For additional information, visit www.ada.gov.

In effect, these two laws provide students with disabilities with the rights to request accommodations, under qualifying circumstances, that allow them to compete with their non-disabled peers in a non-biased manner.

Additionally, CVTC adheres to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). It is a Federal law that ensures the privacy of student education records. When a student reaches the age of 18, or attends a school beyond the high school level, his or her educational records must be protected and remain private.  The privacy of a student even extends to his or her parent. Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student's education record.  For additional information, visit the US Department of Education website on FERPA.