ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

34 C.F.R. Part 105
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

34 C.F.R. § 105.1 Purpose.

The purpose of this part is to effectuate section 119 of the Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Services, and Developmental Disabilities Amendments of 1978, which amended section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs or activities conducted by Executive agencies or the United States Postal Service.

34 C.F.R. § 105.2 Application.

This part applies to all programs or activities conducted by the Department, except for programs or activities conducted outside the United States that do not involve individuals with handicaps in the United States.

34 C.F.R. § 105.3 Definitions.

For purposes of this part, the following definitions apply: Auxiliary aids means services or devices that enable persons with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills to have an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, programs or activities conducted by the Department. For example, auxiliary aids useful for persons with impaired vision include readers, materials in braille, audio recordings, and other similar services and devices. Auxiliary aids useful for persons with impaired hearing include telephone handset amplifiers, telephones compatible with hearing aids, telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TDDs), interpreters, notetakers, written materials, and other similar services and devices. Complete complaint means a written statement that contains the complainant's name and address and describes the Department's alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Department of the nature and date of the alleged violation of section 504. It must be signed by the complainant or by someone authorized to do so on his or her behalf. Complaints filed on behalf of classes or third parties must describe or identify (by name, if possible) the alleged victims of discrimination. Facility means all or any portion of buildings, structures, equipment, roads, walks, parking lots, rolling stock or other conveyances, or other real or personal property. Historic preservation programs means programs conducted by the Department that have preservation of historic properties as a primary purpose. Historic properties means those properties that are listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or properties designated as historic under a statute of the appropriate State or local government body. Individual with handicaps means any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. As used in this definition, the phrase— (1) Physical or mental impairment includes— (i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: Neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or (ii) Any mental or psychological disorder, such as intellectual disability, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities. (2) Major life activities includes functions such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working; (3) Has a record of such an impairment means has a history of, or has been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; and (4) Is regarded as having an impairment means— (i) Has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially limit major life activities but is treated by the Department as constituting such a limitation; (ii) Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward the impairment; or (iii) Has none of the impairments defined in paragraph (1) of this definition but is treated by the Department as having such an impairment. Qualified individual with handicaps means— (1) With respect to preschool, elementary, or secondary education services provided by the Department, an individual with handicaps who is a member of a class of persons otherwise entitled by statute, regulation, or Department policy to receive education services from the Department; (2) With respect to any other Department program or activity under which a person is required to perform services or to achieve a level of accomplishment, an individual with handicaps who meets the essential eligibility requirements and who can achieve the purpose of the program or activity without modifications in the program or activity that the Department can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in its nature; (3) With respect to any other Department program or activity, an individual with handicaps who meets the essential eligibility requirements for participation in, or receipt of benefits from, that program or activity; and (4) Qualified handicapped person as that term is defined for purposes of employment in 29 CFR 1613.702(f), which is made applicable to this part by § 105.30 Secretary means the Secretary of the Department of Education or an official or employee of the Department acting for the Secretary under a delegation of authority. Section 504 means section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Pub. L. 93-112, 87 Stat. 394 (29 U.S.C. 794)), as amended by the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-516, 88 Stat. 1617); the Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Services, and Developmental Disabilities Amendments of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-602, 92 Stat. 2955); the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-506, 100 Stat. 1810); and the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 (Pub. L. 100-259, 102 Stat. 28). As used in this part, section 504 applies only to programs or activities conducted by the Department and not to federally assisted programs. Substantial impairment means a significant loss of the integrity of finished materials, design quality, or special character resulting from a permanent alteration.

34 C.F.R. § 105.10 Self-evaluation.

(a) The Department shall, within one year of the effective date of this part, evaluate its current policies and practices, and the effects thereof, that do not or may not meet the requirements of this part, and, to the extent modification of any of those policies and practices is required, the Department shall proceed to make the necessary modifications. (b) The Department shall provide an opportunity to interested persons, including individuals with handicaps or organizations representing individuals with handicaps to participate in the self-evaluation process by submitting comments (both oral and written). (c) The Department shall, for at least 3 years following completion of the self-evaluation, maintain on file, and make available for public inspection— (1) A description of areas examined and any problems identified; and (2) A description of any modifications made.

34 C.F.R. § 105.11 Notice.

The Department shall make available, to employees, applicants, participants, beneficiaries, and other interested persons, information regarding the provisions of this part and its applicability to the programs or activities conducted by the Department, and make that information available to them in such manner as the Secretary finds necessary to apprise those persons of the protections against discrimination assured them by section 504 and the regulations in this part.

34 C.F.R. § 105.20 General prohibitions against discrimination.

(a) No qualified individual with handicaps shall, on the basis of handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under, any program or activity conducted by the Department. (b)(1) The Department, in providing any aid, benefit, or service, may not, directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, on the basis of handicap— (i) Deny a qualified individual with handicaps the opportunity to participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service; (ii) Afford a qualified individual with handicaps an opportunity to participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service that is not equal to that afforded others; (iii) Provide a qualified individual with handicaps with an aid, benefit, or service that is not as effective in affording equal opportunity to obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same level of achievement as that provided to others; (iv) Provide different or separate aid, benefits, or services to individuals with handicaps or to any class of individuals with handicaps than is provided to others unless that action is necessary to provide qualified individuals with handicaps with aid, benefits, or services that are as effective as those provided to others; (v) Deny a qualified individual with handicaps the opportunity to participate as a member of planning or advisory boards; or (vi) Otherwise limit a qualified individual with handicaps in the enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by others receiving the aid, benefit, or service. (2) The Department may not deny a qualified individual with handicaps the opportunity to participate in programs or activities that are not separate or different, despite the existence of permissibly separate or different programs or activities. (3) The Department may not, directly or through contractual or other arrangements, use criteria or methods of administration the purpose or effect of which would— (i) Subject qualified individuals with handicaps to discrimination on the basis of handicap; or (ii) Defeat or substantially impair accomplishment of the objectives of a program or activity with respect to individuals with handicaps. (4) The Department may not, in determining the site or location of a facility, make selections the purpose or effect of which would— (i) Exclude individuals with handicaps from, deny them the benefits of, or otherwise subject them to discrimination under, any program or activity conducted by the Department; or (ii) Defeat or substantially impair the accomplishment of the objectives of a program or activity with respect to individuals with handicaps. (5) The Department, in the selection of procurement contractors, may not use criteria that subject qualified individuals with handicaps to discrimination on the basis of handicap. (6) The Department may not administer a licensing or certification program in a manner that subjects qualified individuals with handicaps to discrimination on the basis of handicap, nor may the Department establish requirements for the program or activities of licensees or certified entities that subject qualified individuals with handicaps to discrimination on the basis of handicap. However, the programs or activities of entities that are licensed or certified by the Department are not, themselves, covered by this part. (c) The exclusion of nonhandicapped persons from the benefits of a program limited by Federal statute or Executive Order to individuals with handicaps or the exclusion of a specific class of individuals with handicaps from a program limited by Federal statute or Executive Order to a different class of individuals with handicaps is not prohibited by this part. (d) The Department shall administer programs and activities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with handicaps.

34 C.F.R. § 105.30 Employment.

No qualified individual with handicaps shall, on the basis of handicap, be subjected to discrimination in employment under any program or activity conducted by the Department. As provided in § 105.41(b), the definitions, requirements, and procedures of section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791), as established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 29 CFR part 1613, shall apply to employment in federally conducted programs or activities.

34 C.F.R. § 105.31 Program accessibility: Discrimination prohibited.

Except as otherwise provided in § 105.32, no qualified individual with handicaps shall, because the Department's facilities are inaccessible to or unusable by individuals with handicaps, be denied the benefits of, be excluded from participation in, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity conducted by the Department.

34 C.F.R. § 105.32 Program accessibility: Existing facilities.

(a) General. The Department shall operate each program or activity so that the program or activity, viewed in its entirety, is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with handicaps. This paragraph does not— (1) Necessarily require the Department to make each of its existing facilities accessible to and usable by individuals with handicaps; (2) In the case of historic preservation programs, require the Department to take any action that would result in a substantial impairment of significant historic features of an historic property; or (3)(i) Require the Department to take any action that it can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a program or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. (ii) The Department has the burden of proving that compliance with § 105.32(a) would result in that alteration or those burdens. (iii) The decision that compliance would result in that alteration or those burdens must be made by the Secretary after considering all of the Department's resources available for use in the funding and operation of the conducted program or activity, and must be accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for reaching that conclusion. (iv) If an action would result in that alteration or those burdens, the Department shall take any other action that would not result in the alteration or burdens but would nevertheless ensure that individuals with handicaps receive the benefits and services of the program or activity. (b) Methods—(1) General. (i) The Department may comply with the requirements of this section through such means as redesign of equipment, reassignment of services to accessible buildings, assignments of aides to beneficiaries, home visits, delivery of services at alternate accessible sites, alteration of existing facilities and construction of new facilities, use of accessible rolling stock, or any other methods that result in making its programs or activities readily accessible to and usable by individuals with handicaps. (ii) The Department is not required to make structural changes in existing facilities if other methods are effective in achieving compliance with this section. (iii) The Department, in making alterations to existing buildings, shall meet accessibility requirements to the extent compelled by the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157), and any regulations implementing that Act. (iv) In choosing among available methods for meeting the requirements of this section, the Department shall give priority to those methods that offer programs and activities to qualified individuals with handicaps in the most integrated setting appropriate. (2) Historic preservation programs. In meeting the requirements of § 105.32(a) in historic preservation programs, the Department shall give priority to methods that provide physical access to individuals with handicaps. In cases were a physical alteration to an historic property is not required because of § 105.32 (a)(2) or (a)(3), alternative methods of achieving program accessibility include— (i) Using audiovisual materials and devices to depict those portions of an historic property that cannot otherwise be made accessible; (ii) Assigning persons to guide individuals with handicaps into or through portions of historic properties that cannot otherwise be made accessible; or (iii) Adopting other innovative methods. (c) Time period for compliance. The Department shall comply with the obligations established under this section within 60 days of the effective date of this part except that if structural changes in facilities are undertaken, the changes shall be made within 3 years of the effective date of this part, but in any event as expeditiously as possible. (d) Transition plan. (1) In the event that structural changes to facilities will be undertaken to achieve program accessibility, the Department shall develop, within six months of the effective date of this part, a transition plan setting forth the steps necessary to complete those changes. (2) The Department shall provide an opportunity to interested persons, including individuals with handicaps or organizations representing individuals with handicaps, to participate in the development of the transition plan by submitting comments (both oral and written). A copy of the transition plan must be made available for public inspection. (3) The plan must, at a minimum— (i) Identify physical obstacles in the Department's facilities that limit the accessibility of its programs or activities to individuals with handicaps; (ii) Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the facilities accessible; (iii) Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve compliance with this section and, if the time period of the transition plan is longer than one year, identify steps that will be taken during each year of the transition period; and (iv) Indicate the official responsible for implementation of the plan.

34 C.F.R. § 105.33 Program accessibility: New construction and alterations.

Each building or part of a building that is constructed or altered by, on behalf of, or for the use of, the Department must be designed, constructed, or altered so as to be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with handicaps. The definitions, requirements, and standards of the Architectural Barriers Act (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157), as established in 41 CFR 101-19.600 to 101-19.607, apply to buildings covered by this section.

34 C.F.R. § 105.40 Communications.

(a) The Department shall take appropriate steps to ensure effective communication with applicants, participants, personnel of other Federal entities, and members of the public, as follows: (1)(i) The Department shall furnish appropriate auxiliary aids if necessary to afford an individual with handicaps an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, a program or activity conducted by the Department. (ii) In determining what type of auxiliary aid is necessary, the Department shall give primary consideration to the request of the individual with handicaps. (iii) The Department need not provide individually prescribed devices, readers for personal use or study, or other devices of a personal nature. (2) If the Department communicates with applicants and beneficiaries by telephone, telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TDDs) or equally effective telecommunication systems must be used. (b) The Department shall ensure that interested persons, including persons with impaired vision or hearing, can obtain information as to the existence and location of accessible services, activities, and facilities. (c) The Department shall provide signs at a primary entrance to each of its inaccessible facilities, directing users to a location at which they can obtain information about accessible facilities. The international symbol for accessibility must be used at each primary entrance of an accessible facility. (d)(1) This section does not require the Department to take any action that it can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a program or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. (2) The Department has the burden of proving that compliance with § 105.40 would result in that alteration or those burdens. (3) The decision that compliance would result in that alteration or those burdens must be made by the Secretary after considering all Department resources available for use in the funding and operation of the conducted program or activity and must be accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for reaching that conclusion. (4) If an action required to comply with this section would result in that alteration or those burdens, the Department shall take any other action that would not result in the alteration or burdens but would nevertheless ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, individuals with handicaps receive the benefits and services of the program or activity.

34 C.F.R. § 105.41 Compliance procedures.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this section applies to all allegations of discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs and activities conducted by the Department. (b) As provided in § 105.30, the Department shall process complaints alleging violations of section 504 with respect to employment according to the procedures established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 29 CFR part 1613 pursuant to section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791). (c) The Deputy Under Secretary for Management is responsible for coordinating implementation of this section. Complaints may be sent to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Management, Federal Building No. 6, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202. (d) The Department shall accept and investigate all complete complaints for which it has jurisdiction. All complete complaints must be filed within 180 days of the alleged act of discrimination. The Department may extend this time period for good cause. (e) If the Department receives a complaint over which it does not have jurisdiction, it shall promptly notify the complainant and shall make reasonable efforts to refer the complaint to the appropriate government entity. (f) The Department shall notify the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board upon receipt of any complaint alleging that a building or facility that is subject to the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157) is not readily accessible to and usable by individuals with handicaps. (g) Within 180 days of the receipt of a complete complaint for which it has jurisdiction, the Department shall notify the complainant of the results of the investigation in a letter containing— (1) Findings of fact and conclusions of law; (2) A description of a remedy for each violation found; and (3) A notice of the right to appeal. (h) Appeals of the findings of fact and conclusions of law or remedies must be filed by the complainant within 90 days of receipt from the Department of the letter required by § 105.41(g). The Department may extend this time for good cause. (i) Timely appeals shall be accepted and processed by the Secretary. (j) If the Secretary determines that additional information is needed for the complainant, he or she shall notify the complainant of the additional information needed to make his or her determination on the appeal. (k) The Secretary shall notify the complainant of the results of the appeal. (l) The time limit in paragraph (g) of this section may be extended by the Secretary. (m) The Secretary may delegate the authority for conducting complaint investigations to other Federal agencies, except that the authority for making the final determination may not be delegated.

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