Bylaw 14.3.1.3 originally stated: "Courses that are taught at a level below the high school's regular academic instructional level (e.g., remedial, special education or compensatory) shall not be considered core courses regardless of course content." The NCAA agreed to remove the words “special education” from the bylaw and add in the sentence: “The prohibition of 'remedial and compensatory' courses does not apply to courses designed for students with learning disabilities.”

Changes to NCAA Bylaw 14.3.1.3

While students with disabilities must still complete the required core courses and achieve a 2.0 GPA average, their high school principal may submit a written statement to the NCAA with an explanation on how their special education courses may be “substantially comparable, quantitatively and qualitatively, to similar core course offerings in that academic discipline.” 

NCAA Bylaw 14.3.1.3.4

As part of the consent decree, the NCAA was also tasked with designating one or more current employees as their ADA Compliance Coordinator(s), who would act as liaisons between students with disabilities and the NCAA. In addition, they would have to attend annual educational seminars on a private entity’s legal obligations under title III of the ADA. 

Designation of ADA Compliance Coordinators in the NCAA

When the United States filed the ADA civil action against the NCAA, they concurrently filed a consent decree (which is a settlement that resolves a dispute between two parties without admission of guilt from either side). 

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

In 1998, the United States filed a civil action against the NCAA by citing title III (prohibiting disability discrimination in a public accommodation/facility owned by a private entity) of the ADA. At the time, the NCAA required students to graduate with a 2.0 GPA, a certain minimum score on the SAT/ACT, and complete 13 “core courses” designated by the NCAA. However, up to that point, the NCAA had not been refusing to certify special education courses as “core courses.” 

United States Civil Action Against the NCAA

NCAA Consent Decree (The United States District Court for the District of the District of Columbia May 27, 1998). Retrieved from https://archive.ada.gov/ncaa.htm.

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