Students with disabilities protected under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are arrested or referred to law enforcement at more than twice the rate of their non-disabled peers (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2024). Our schools should be spaces of learning and belonging, not criminalization for non-criminal behavior. We’re standing with educators, parents, students, lawmakers, and community leaders to dismantle the systems and policies that harm our most vulnerable c

Today, on November 29, we celebrate 50 years of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)! For half a century, IDEA has opened doors to inclusive classrooms, individualized supports, and the civil right to a quality education for millions of students with disabilities, including more than 900,000 students served under the autism category. The Autism Society of America is proud to mark this milestone and, now more than ever, continue advocating for strong implementation, funding, and