U.S. Supreme Court Unanimously Rules in Favor of Student with Disabilities

In a landmark decision on June 12, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of Ava Tharpe, a Minnesota teenager with severe epilepsy, significantly lowering the legal barriers for students with disabilities seeking accommodations in educational settings.

The Court's ruling in A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools determined that students alleging disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act are not required to prove "bad faith or gross misjudgment" by school officials—a higher standard previously applied in some jurisdictions. Instead, these claims should be evaluated using the same legal standards as other disability discrimination cases.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the Court, emphasized that the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act do not impose a more demanding standard for educational settings. He stated that claims based on educational services should be subject to the same standards that apply in other disability discrimination contexts.

The case centers on Ava Tharpe, a student with severe epilepsy known as Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, which causes frequent seizures, particularly in the mornings. Due to her condition, Ava is unable to attend school before noon. While residing in Kentucky, her school district accommodated her needs by providing instruction from noon to 6 p.m. However, after moving to Minnesota in 2015, the Osseo Area Schools district refused to offer similar accommodations, resulting in Ava receiving only 4.25 hours of instruction per day, compared to the standard 6.5-hour school day for her peers.

Ava's parents filed a lawsuit against the Osseo Area Schools under the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act, seeking a full school day and compensatory damages for the alleged discrimination. Lower courts dismissed the claims, applying a heightened legal standard that required proof of "bad faith or gross misjudgment" by the school district. The Supreme Court's decision overturned these rulings, aligning the legal standards for educational settings with those applied in other disability discrimination contexts.

This ruling harmonizes the legal standards nationwide, ensuring that students with disabilities are not subjected to more stringent requirements when seeking accommodations in educational settings. The decision is expected to simplify the legal process for students with disabilities seeking equal educational opportunities.

Disability rights organizations have praised the ruling for affirming the rights of students with disabilities to challenge discrimination in their education without facing unfair legal barriers. Zoe Brennan-Krohn, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Disability Rights Program, stated, "This decision from a unanimous Supreme Court recognizes that all students with disabilities are entitled to an education free of disability discrimination."

The ruling underscores the importance of providing equal educational opportunities to all students, regardless of their disabilities. It sends a clear message to educational institutions about their obligations under federal disability laws and the necessity of accommodating students' unique needs.

The Supreme Court's decision is hailed as a significant victory for disability rights advocates. Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) have praised the ruling for affirming the rights of students with disabilities to challenge discrimination in their education without facing unfair legal barriers.