National Disability Rights Network Releases Report on Illegally Removing Students with Disabilities
This week, the National Disability Rights Network published a report on how schools are illegally removing students with disabilities through the practice of informal removals.
According to the report, informal removals have resulted in children missing semesters of instruction, leaving children without necessary legal protections during the period of removal. Per federal law, these removals constitute a violation of students with disabilities’ right to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).
The report also includes specific recommendations to combat the practice targeted at the U.S. Department of Education, Department of Justice, Congress, and state and local policymakers. Among these recommendations is the creation of a guidance document addressing informal removal, changes to grant funding that de-incentivize informal removals, enforcement of Section 504 of the IDEA and the Americans with Disabilities Act, and increased funding for behavior intervention services.