Disability Rights and Inclusion

NEA is committed to advancing awareness, advocacy, and action in support of the rights guaranteed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act—recognizing that disability rights are fundamental human and civil rights.

NEA believes that by building awareness, strengthening advocacy, and taking collective action, educators can help secure the supports every student and educator with a disability deserves. Through educator organizing, community partnerships, and coordinated policy efforts, we aim to ensure that all students receive a free, appropriate public education in inclusive environments, and that educators with disabilities are protected, supported, and valued in the workforce.

We are committed to cultivating agency within our membership by creating opportunities for learning, organizing, and mobilization that are led by those most impacted. Our approach centers the lived experiences of disabled educators and students and acknowledges the ways disability intersects with race, class, gender, and other identities.

Through solution-driven advocacy, professional development, and inclusive leadership pathways, NEA advances policies and practices that uphold rights, challenge ableism, and foster equity across our schools and unions.

Together, we are building schools where all students and the educators who serve them can learn, grow, and thrive.

A teenage boy in a wheelchair browses books in a school library

Lead a local book club focused on disability rights and inclusion. This program offers members a leadership role, books, and online resources to facilitate discussions. It fosters inclusive education and creates accessible environments for all.

Quote by: Locally Led Book Clubs Focused on Disability Rights and Inclusion

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NEA is focused on achieving authentic accessibility, ending ableism, and being inclusive of all students and educators with disabilities to fulfill NEA’s vision of a great public school for every student. Individuals with disabilities should be at the forefront of advocacy and leadership, and their perspectives and experiences should be centered in all efforts to promote it. This means ensuring that individuals with disabilities have the power and agency to shape policies, practices, and decisions that impact their lives. NEA, in partnership with the Ford Foundation, is raising awareness to advance disability rights and inclusive practices, cultivating a pipeline of leaders who are most impacted, and empowering educators to challenge and transform systems of oppression that impact the disability community.