Senate Passes RISE Act for College Disability Accommodations
The bipartisan bill would ease documentation requirements for students with disabilities seeking accommodations at colleges and universities.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Special Education
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The Senate passed Senator Jim Banks' bipartisan RISE Act, which would cut red tape for students with documented disabilities seeking college accommodations. The bill advanced unanimously through the Senate HELP Committee on July 30 before passing the full chamber.
Why it matters
Students with documented disabilities are often required to undergo and pay for new diagnostic testing before receiving college accommodations, a burden the bill aims to remove. The measure also makes school disability-services policies more transparent for students and families across the country.
Approximately 15 percent of public-school students receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The Senate HELP Committee advanced the bill unanimously on July 30, but the tally of the full Senate vote was not reported.
The players
Jim Banks
Jim Banks is a Republican U.S. senator from Indiana who introduced the RISE Act as its lead sponsor.
Maggie Hassan
Maggie Hassan is a Democratic U.S. senator from New Hampshire who co-introduced the RISE Act.
Bill Cassidy
Bill Cassidy is a Republican U.S. senator from Louisiana who co-introduced the RISE Act and chairs the Senate HELP Committee.
The details
The RISE Act closes a loophole that requires students with documented disabilities to undergo new diagnostic testing for accommodations. It also requires universities to report data on undergraduate students registered with disabilities to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, and authorizes funds for technical assistance to colleges serving these students.
Timeline
July 30: The Senate HELP Committee advanced the RISE Act unanimously.
November 9, 2026: The Senate passed the RISE Act.
Special Education Context
Students who receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in K-12 schools lose that federal framework when they enter college. The RISE Act seeks to bridge that gap by easing documentation requirements at the postsecondary level.
Students with documented disabilities entering college may no longer face new diagnostic testing requirements if the RISE Act becomes law. Families would gain clearer, more transparent information about how disability-services policies work at each school.
The takeaway
Students moving from high school to college often lose access to the services they relied on, so understanding how accommodation policies differ by school can help families plan ahead. Checking a college's disability-services office early in the application process can clarify what documentation will be required.
Further reading
For more on the federal framework that shapes these services, see Special Education.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WBIW.
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