Supreme Court lowers hurdle for student disability claims against schools

By AI, Created 11:40 AM UTC, May 25, 2026, /AGP/ – The U.S. Supreme Court said students bringing disability discrimination claims against schools under the ADA and Section 504 do not face a heightened “bad faith or gross misjudgment” standard. The ruling could make it easier for families to challenge school decisions that affect access, accommodations, and equal participation.

Why it matters: - The decision removes a higher legal hurdle that some courts had applied to education-related disability claims. - Families may have a clearer path to challenge school actions that deny meaningful access to instruction, services, transportation, scheduling, or participation. - The ruling reinforces that IDEA disputes and disability discrimination claims are separate legal issues.

What happened: - In A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools, the Supreme Court held that student claims under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are not subject to a special “bad faith or gross misjudgment” requirement. - The Court said students in school settings must be held to the same disability discrimination standards that apply in other contexts. - The Court vacated the Eighth Circuit’s judgment and sent the case back for further proceedings.

The details: - The opinion said nothing in the text of Title II or Section 504 supports a distinct, more demanding standard just because the claim arises in an educational setting. - Schools still have obligations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. - Section 504 and the ADA provide separate antidiscrimination protections from IDEA. - The decision does not guarantee success in any individual case. - Damage claims may still depend on jurisdiction and the facts of a case. - Families should preserve emails, evaluations, IEPs, Section 504 plans, meeting notes, and attendance records. - Families should ask for written explanations when accommodations are denied, reduced, or delayed. - Families should evaluate whether a problem involves only IDEA or may also implicate Section 504 or ADA protections.

Between the lines: - The ruling narrows a defense that schools could use to argue that disability discrimination claims tied to education deserve extra skepticism. - The Court’s approach suggests that school-based disability claims should be analyzed as civil rights cases, not treated as a separate, tougher category. - Keith Altman, Founder and Managing Partner of K Altman Law, said families should not assume an IEP dispute ends the analysis when a student is denied meaningful access because of disability.

What’s next: - Courts handling similar cases will apply the Supreme Court’s standard as the litigation continues. - Families and schools may need more careful issue-framing and record development in new disputes. - Parties considering complaints, hearings, or lawsuits should seek jurisdiction-specific legal guidance before moving forward.

The bottom line: - Students with disabilities should not face extra legal hurdles simply because their discrimination claim comes from a school setting. - The ruling may make it easier for families to pursue ADA and Section 504 claims alongside, or instead of, IDEA disputes. - More information is available in the full report.