DREDF Files Amicus Brief Defending Landmark College Admission Decision

On October 9, DREDF, along with other disability rights organizations, filed an amicus brief in Smith v. Regents of the University of California defending the issuance of a preliminary injunction that required the University of California (UC) school system to stop using the SAT and ACT as part of their admission process. The ruling recognized that, under UC’s so-called “test-optional” policy, SAT and ACT scores afforded privileged, non-disabled students a “plus factor” in admissions that students with disabilities could not achieve due to a lack of appropriate accommodations and accessible testing sites—a problem highlighted and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. UC Regents sought a stay of the injunction, in hopes of retaining their discriminatory policy. DREDF’s brief details why the case was rightly decided.