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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>55669</law_id><section_number>51.5-42</section_number><catch_line>Discrimination against otherwise qualified persons with disabilities by educational institutions prohibited</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="51.5">Persons With Disabilities</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="9">Rights of Persons With Disabilities</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> No public educational institution or private educational institution, or agent of either, that is a recipient of state funds shall deny admission to the institution, or full and equal access to and enjoyment of any of its educational or extracurricular programs, to an <span class="dictionary">otherwise qualified <span class="dictionary">person with a disability</span></span> because of such disability. For purposes of this section, an &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">otherwise qualified <span class="dictionary">person with a disability</span></span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person with a disability</span> who meets the requirements for admission to the institution and for participation in its programs and whose disability is unrelated to the person&#x2019;s ability to utilize and benefit from educational opportunities, programs, and facilities at the educational institution. <a id="paragraph-204060" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/51.5-42/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> This section shall not apply to any public or private educational institution that is subject to the requirements of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="School divisions to provide special education; plan to be submitted to Board" href="/22.1-215/">22.1-215</a> nor to any private elementary or secondary school or institution of higher education that is not a recipient of state funds. <a id="paragraph-204061" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/51.5-42/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1985, c. 421, &#xA7; 51.01-42; 2014, c. 616.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
