The Unseen Battle: 5 Crucial Ways The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) Is Shaping Policy In 2025
The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) stands at the forefront of the fight for the civil and human rights of Americans with disabilities, a mission that remains critically important as of December 22, 2025. This powerful nonprofit membership organization is responsible for coordinating the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and Client Assistance Programs (CAPs) across all U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia. Its work is not just about legal defense; it's about systemic change, influencing federal policy, and ensuring that the promise of laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is realized for over 61 million Americans with disabilities.
In the current political and legal landscape, NDRN's recent activities—from securing landmark Supreme Court victories to exposing hidden injustices in the education system—demonstrate its vital role. This article provides a deep dive into the most current and pressing issues the network is tackling, offering a unique, fresh perspective on the state of disability rights advocacy today.
Meet the Leadership: Marlene Sallo, NDRN's Executive Director
The strategic direction and impact of the National Disability Rights Network are guided by its executive leadership. The organization’s current Executive Director is a figure of historical significance in the disability rights movement: Marlene Sallo.
- Name: Marlene Sallo
- Title: Executive Director, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)
- Historical Significance: Sallo is the first woman, first Latina, and first person with a disability to lead the National Disability Rights Network.
- Background and Philosophy: Her leadership is rooted in a belief that amplifying the voices of people with disabilities is central to achieving true equity and systemic change. She brings a wealth of experience in disability and civil rights law to the role.
- Key Deputy: Eric Buehlmann serves as the Deputy Executive Director for Public Policy, playing a crucial role in advocating for NDRN's legislative agenda on Capitol Hill and within federal agencies.
Sallo’s tenure, which began in late 2022, has been marked by a renewed focus on intersectionality and fighting against discriminatory practices in areas ranging from education to the justice system, ensuring the P&A network remains strong and effective.
1. A Landmark Supreme Court Victory for Students with Disabilities
One of the most significant recent victories championed by the National Disability Rights Network involves a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision that dramatically lowered the burden of proof for students with disabilities seeking accommodations under the ADA. This ruling is a game-changer for special education rights across the country.
The case, which involved the Tharpes family against Osseo Area Schools, addressed a critical legal hurdle. Previously, some lower courts had established a stringent standard, requiring students and their families to exhaust the administrative remedies available under the IDEA before they could pursue a lawsuit under the ADA. This process was often lengthy, complicated, and a significant barrier to justice.
The Supreme Court’s 9-0 decision sided with the student, ruling that families alleging that a school is not meeting its disability accommodations do not have to meet this higher, unfair standard. NDRN welcomed the ruling, with Executive Director Marlene Sallo calling it a "common-sense affirmation" of a student's right to access justice. This decision clears the way for countless children to sue for damages when their rights are violated, reinforcing the power of the ADA as a civil rights tool.
2. Exposing "Off the Books" School Dismissals: The New NDRN Report
In a major push for accountability in the K-12 education system, the National Disability Rights Network recently released a new, critical report detailing how schools are illegally and informally removing students with disabilities from classrooms. The report, titled "Out from the Shadows: Informal Removal of Children with Disabilities from School," shines a harsh light on this hidden crisis.
These "off the books dismissals"—or informal removals—include practices such as:
- Sending a student home early or asking a parent to pick them up without formally recording it as a suspension.
- Pressuring parents to keep their child home for days or weeks at a time.
- Excluding students from field trips or extracurricular activities based on disability-related behaviors.
- Implementing "in-school suspensions" that fail to provide the required special education services under a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP).
The report argues that these practices violate the IDEA and other federal disability rights laws, effectively denying children their right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). The P&A network is now using this data to launch immediate and comprehensive investigations and apply pressure on state and local education agencies to cease these illegal actions, making this a top priority for 2025 advocacy.
3. Key Policy Priorities and Justice System Reform in 2025
NDRN's advocacy efforts extend far beyond the classroom, focusing heavily on systemic reform in the areas of healthcare, institutional settings, and the justice system. The Protection and Advocacy (P&A) System is inherently tasked with guarding against abuse, neglect, and exploitation, making this a perennial and urgent focus.
Current policy priorities for the network include:
Justice System Reform: NDRN firmly believes that every American, regardless of disability, has the right to access the nation’s justice system. The P&A network works to improve conditions in correctional facilities, advocate for alternatives to incarceration, and ensure that people with mental health and intellectual disabilities receive appropriate services rather than being funneled into the criminal justice system. They actively work to end discriminatory practices and improve access to the courts.
Protecting Congregate Settings: A major focus for 2025 is decreasing the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of people with disabilities in congregate settings, such as nursing homes, psychiatric hospitals, and other residential facilities. This involves improving oversight practices, ensuring quality of care, and advocating for community-based alternatives to institutionalization, which aligns with the integration mandate of the *Olmstead v. L.C.* Supreme Court decision.
Disaster and Emergency Preparedness: The network continues to prioritize disability rights during emergencies. Advocates and attorneys strive to ensure that disaster planning, relief efforts, and recovery processes are fully accessible and inclusive of people with disabilities, from accessible shelters to communication methods.
4. The Power of the P&A and CAP Network
The true strength of NDRN lies in its network of 57 Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and Client Assistance Programs (CAPs). These independent, non-profit agencies are federally mandated to provide legal advocacy and other services to people with disabilities in every state and territory.
Each P&A organization, such as Disability Rights Nebraska (a recent recipient of the 2025 Advocacy Award for its persistent work against injustice), sets its own annual priorities based on the needs of its local community. Their work covers a vast range of disability rights issues, including:
- Accessibility: Surveying public places for architectural accessibility and advocating for digital accessibility.
- Employment: Ensuring people with disabilities receive vocational rehabilitation services and fighting employment discrimination.
- Voting Rights: Working to make polling places and voting processes fully accessible to all voters with disabilities.
- Healthcare Access: Advocating for access to necessary behavioral health and medical services.
By providing training, technical assistance, and legislative support, NDRN ensures that these local P&A agencies remain strong, effective, and capable of taking on complex civil rights litigation and systemic advocacy.
5. The Ongoing Fight for Federal Funding and Program Integrity
A constant and critical element of NDRN's work is securing and protecting the federal funding necessary for the P&A and CAP programs to operate. The network's advocacy in Washington, D.C., especially concerning the annual appropriations process, is essential to the survival of disability rights services nationwide.
In the context of Fiscal Year 2025, NDRN has been vocal, joining numerous other organizations to call on Congress to reject any provisions that would cut existing federal funding for critical disability programs. The financial stability of the P&A Systems directly impacts their capacity to investigate abuse, litigate landmark cases, and provide individual rights assistance to thousands of people each year. By fighting for robust funding, NDRN is safeguarding the infrastructure of the disability civil rights movement itself.
The National Disability Rights Network's work in 2025 is a powerful demonstration of continuous, strategic advocacy. Through the dedicated efforts of its leadership, the landmark legal victories it supports, and the critical policy reports it produces, NDRN remains the essential backbone of the Protection and Advocacy System, tirelessly working to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are not just recognized, but fully enforced.
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