ABSTRACT
As various forms of publicly funded parental choice options have developed across the country, policy makers and school leaders have had to consider how to include children with disabilities in those programs. As with all programming for children with disabilities, the requirements for such participation are grounded in three federal laws; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Both Section 504 and the ADA prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. IDEA sets out detailed requirements for the delivery of special education in exchange for federal funding. Ensuring that children with disabilities have meaningful opportunities to participate in publicly funded parental choice programs in a manner that complies with these federal guarantees presents a special challenge to school leaders.
