Did You Know?? One in Five Law Students Has a Disability — (LSSSE 2025)
The 2025 report released last week by Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE) is its first comprehensive look at disability among law students. LSSSE has determined that one in five law students has a disability. The CDC reports that one in four adults in the United States has a disability and that number will only increase as the population ages.
At Stetson Law, Accessibility Resources (AR) supports students with disabilities, students who require temporary accommodations (emergency or disability-related needs that are expected to resolve within six months), and students where English is their Second Language (ESL).
During the 2024-2025 academic year, 1,091 students were enrolled at Stetson Law, and 254 students were registered with Accessibility Resources: 23.3% of the student body.
Of the 254 students registered with AR, 217 were students with disabilities defined under the ADA; 19.9% of the student body, 15 students received temporary accommodation; 1.4% student body, and 14 students received ESL testing modifications; 1.3% of the student body.
| Registration Categories with AR | No. of Students Registered with AR (Total: 254) | Percentage of Student Body 2024-25 (Total Enrollment: 1,091) |
| Students with Disabilities (ADA) | 217 | 19.9% |
| Temporary Accommodations | 15 | 1.4% |
| English as Second Language | 14 | 1.3% |
The types of disabilities represented in the Stetson Law student body vary. While students may have the same diagnosis, the barriers they experience often differ, resulting in different types of accommodations to address those barriers. All accommodations are made on a student-specific, case-by-case basis.
| Disability Category | Percentage of Students** Registered with AR¾Reported Disability |
| Autism Spectrum Disorder | 1.5% |
| Chronic | 12.9% |
| Cognitive & Learning Disability | 15.1% |
| Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing | 1.5% |
| ESL* | 5.4% |
| Mobility | 4.3% |
| Psychological (includes ADD/ADHD) | 70.1% |
| Temporary* | 10.8% |
| Visual | 3.6% |
*Not considered a disability under the ADA.
**Many students report having more than one disability and are counted in more than one disability category.
How can you support our disability community?
- Learn more about disability culture at Stetson Law: Reach out to Accessibility Resources to understand the requirements and process for requesting and receiving accommodations. Attend programming events offered by Accessibility Resources and the Disability Allied Law Students Association (DALSA).
- Promote awareness and inclusion of this underrepresented community: Ensure your events, materials, and messaging are accessible to all members of our community. Your message is important; make sure it reaches everyone.
- Minimize stigma surrounding disability status and accommodations: Lead with an open mind, not assumptions. Every student receiving accommodations has a medical condition that has been verified by a qualified medical provider and the accommodations process at Stetson Law. However, not all disabilities are visible. It’s far more common for people to mask their challenges than to feign a disability ¾often as a response to societal stigma.
- Respect the privacy of our disability community: Refrain from discussing unverified, personal, and private information with others. If you learn a student is receiving accommodations, practice the legal ethical requirement of keeping that information confidential. Appropriate handling of confidential and private information is a critical part of everyone’s professional identity formation.
Read the full LSSSE Disability in Law School report.