26% of Disabled Community College Students Report Having to Drop or Withdraw from Classes Due to Lack of Access

The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office released a report this week "Effects of Reduced Funding on Disabled Student Programs and Services in California Community Colleges" in which 26% of disabled students surveyed reporting having to drop or withdraw from classes due to a lack of available accommodations through the disabled student service programs.

Click here to read the Full Report…

DRA Seeks Students Denied
Accommodations in California Colleges

Disability Rights Advocates ("DRA"), a non-profit legal center, is investigating complaints concerning cuts in services for students with disabilities in the California Community College system, the California State University system and the University of California system.

The affected services include:

  • Note-Taking Services
  • Availability of Documents in Alternative Formats
  • Mobility Assistance
  • Sign language Interpreting
  • Assistive Computer Labs
  • Other Essential Accommodations

If you have recently had your request for accommodations denied, or if you have experienced significant delays in obtaining accommodations, or know of individuals who have experienced such problems, please contact:

Kara Werner at [email protected] or (510) 665-8644 x138. All communications will be kept confidential.


The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act guarantee that students with disabilities be provided with accommodations that provide access to an equal opportunity for education. These rights are in danger!

The California Community College system has made deep cuts to disability services that provide accommodations to students who need them to access a higher education. Although system-wide the community colleges have experienced average cuts of about 2.5%, the cuts to disability services are more than 40%, according to the California Association for Postsecondary Education and Disability.

As a result, accommodations are being delayed up to 7 weeks, and in some cases denied altogether. Mobility assistance, readers, note takers, large print books, audio books, sign language interpreters, captioning, campus transport services and other essential accommodations are being delayed or denied, putting the academic careers of students with disabilities at risk.

In response, YO! Disabled and Proud is partnering with Disability Rights California to organize a the Take Action for Accommodations Campaign.

We are organizing and educating Community College Students with disabilities across California to learn about their right to access services and programs they need in order to participate and succeed in school.

We are training students and allies on how to file a complaints under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act with the United States Department of Education Office of Civil Rights.

We believe that if enough students who have been denied accommodations in the community colleges file complaints, the Office of Civil Rights will take action to restore their rights.

If you have experienced delays or denial of accommodations at your community college Join the Take Action for Accommodations Campaign! Call our YO! Line to join the campaign and link to other students in your community, or for assistance in filing a complaint:

Toll-Free YO! Line
(866) 296-9753 • (800) 900-0706 TDD
Disability Rights California
(800) 767-5746 • (800) 719-5798 TDD

Please join us in defending the rights of students with disabilities to continue to have equal access to higher education in California.

Thank You to our Funders!

The support of our funders and donors helps keep YO! Disabled & Proud running strong year after year. The more funding we receive, the more youth we can organize in the pursuit of their rights and education. Please Make a Donation, Keep YO! Going Strong…