December 5, 2025

Federal court clarifies A.J.T . holding, limits of failure to accommodate claims

Key Points

Court clarified that plaintiffs only need to show ordinary discrimination claims, not extreme misconduct cases.
This decision impacts how disability discrimination claims are evaluated in public schools and educational institutions.
The ruling indicates a shift from a stringent 'bad faith' standard to a more accessible framework for plaintiffs.
Implications may lower barriers for valid claims under the ADA and Rehabilitation Act in education.

Abstract

In the June 2025 case A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools , the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously rejected the “bad faith or gross misjudgment” standard that several lower courts had been applying to disability discrimination claims brought under Title II of the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act in the education context. The Court held that disability discrimination claims against public schools and educational institutions should be evaluated under the ordinary ADA/Rehabilitation Act framework, not a heightened one requiring proof of bad faith or gross misjudgment. Essentially, the Court clarified that plaintiffs do not need to show extreme misconduct or ill intent by an institution to have a successful discrimination claim.

KI fragen

Bookmark