Which of the following is the federal law that ensures appropriate education for students with disabilities?

The correct answer is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which specifically ensures that students with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that is tailored to their individual needs. This law mandates that schools create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for eligible students, detailing the specific accommodations and services they will receive to help them succeed in an educational environment.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) primarily focuses on preventing discrimination against individuals with disabilities in various areas of public life, including employment, transportation, and public accommodations. While it protects the rights of individuals with disabilities, it does not specifically address educational provisions, making it less relevant to ensuring appropriate education.

The Rehabilitation Act broadly addresses the needs of individuals with disabilities but primarily under Section 504, which prohibits discrimination in programs receiving federal financial assistance. However, Section 504 does not provide the same level of educational specificity or the structured IEP facilitation that IDEA does, making it less comprehensive in terms of educational guarantees for students with disabilities.

Understanding these distinctions highlights why IDEA is the most relevant law in ensuring appropriate education for students with disabilities.