Reviewing Post-Secondary Disability Discrimination OCR Resolutions, the First Quarter of 2026

Author: Andrea Stagg, Director of Consulting Services

So far, OCR has published four resolutions with higher education institutions in 2026 about disability discrimination. Each is summarized below along with key takeaways.

North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University

The complainant from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University was a parent alleging the University did not accommodate their access to an inaccessible residence hall during move-in. When the complainant parent requested assistance from the University, complainant reports they were told “that the University does not accommodate parents; rather, it only accommodates students.” The resolution agreement requires the University to develop a plan for notifying the public about how to request access to existing facilities for people with disabilities, including establishing a point of contact for the requests and examples of modifications. The agreement also calls for individual relief for the complainant and training for all faculty, staff, and administrators responsible for building access, disability accommodations, and compliance with Section 504 and Title II to ensure they understand the institution’s obligations under these laws and how to respond to requests for disability-related access to an existing facility.

Takeaways: Consider your campus policies around building accessibility. Is information available to the public, or only to members of the campus community (through a portal or intranet)? Be sure to provide information to members of the public with mobility impairments about how to access existing University facilities. Are staff trained to send accessibility requests to a certain point-of-contact? Remind employees that unless their job is to assess and approve or decline disability accommodation requests, then they should refrain from making such assessments and redirect inquiries appropriately.

Saginaw Valley State University

This resolution relates to an individual complainant with a disability for whom the University had approved academic adjustments. Some instructors disagreed with the approved adjustments, and ultimately those adjustments were not implemented consistently throughout the semester. The University and OCR resolved the complaint prior to OCR coming to a conclusion about a violation, but OCR noted in its letter that the documentation it had received did not reflect that the University engaged in the appropriate assessment of whether the accommodations were reasonable. The resolution agreement requires both individual remedies and revisions to the University’s procedures to ensure it engages in “an appropriate deliberative process” when determining whether a request for disability accommodations would result in a fundamental alteration of the University’s program.

Takeaways: Always conduct an assessment into whether the requested accommodations are reasonable. Use a deliberative process that involves the appropriate faculty and staff, and document these steps.

Santa Monica College

The complaint resolved at Santa Monica College is about the school’s failure to provide quiet testing rooms to students with disabilities who were approved to take their exams in a separate, quiet room as an accommodation. According to OCR, “[n]one of the rooms are sound-proofed, and test-takers can hear conversations and other noises being made outside the rooms.” In the resolution agreement, the College agreed to modify three of its rooms to reduce sound infiltration.

Takeaways: Ensure that rooms meant to serve a particular purpose are outfitted or located appropriately for that purpose. Please note that quiet testing spaces do not necessarily require soundproofing; consider whether the location is busy or more isolated.

Schoolcraft College

OCR’s investigation at Schoolcraft College involved whether a particular student was provided their approved academic adjustments, whether the College maintained and offered prompt and equitable grievance procedures in response to the student’s disability discrimination and complaint, and whether a faculty member retaliated against the student. OCR did not find evidence of retaliation but did find there was a lack of a clear and equitable grievance procedure. Additionally, records from the testing portal were insufficient to show whether the student received their appropriate approved accommodations. The resolution agreement requires the college to update its grievance procedures to reflect best practices, and then to adequately publicize the updated procedures. The agreement also requires training for faculty and staff about the institution’s obligations regarding disability accommodations and addressing discrimination complaints.

Takeaways: Institutions should review their grievance procedures using Section (1) of the resolution agreement; it’s a 12-point checklist of required elements in a grievance procedure. Also take time to review existing trainings for faculty and staff about accommodations. For example, consider whether the trainings accurately reflect your current processes and whether they are effective. Even a brief training effectiveness assessment can provide valuable insight into whether the training is having the intended impact.

All of these published resolution agreements and letters can be found on OCR’s Recent Resolution Search website.

Reach out to us for ADA/504 services, including reviewing your policies and procedures, interim or long-term ADA/504 office staffing and implementing the requirements from OCR resolutions.