For the past five years, VOP interns have worked with other community members to document ways that Charlottesville’s school facilities are not physically accessible to everyone who has a reason to use them. Now, this work has resulted in a commitment by the Charlottesville City Council to designate $1.1 million in funding to make all the school facilities in the city fully compliant with the Americans for Disability Act, or ADA. (The ADA was itself the result of a powerful national movement of people with disabilities demanding entry to community life.)

“We hope that people in other communities will learn from this experience and push all school systems to be accessible for everyone,” said Karen Waters, VOP State Governing Board member. “No child, no parent, no teacher and no community member should be denied access to any part of a public school building.”

For more information on ADA issues, contact the Charlottesville VOP office at (434) 984-4655 x222.