Disability support and rights in Italy

Legal and administrative developments in Italy are reshaping support systems for individuals with disabilities. A ruling by the TAR Lazio established a distinction between standard support and ‘intensive support,’ the latter being designated for students with severe disabilities requiring permanent and continuous assistance. The court affirmed that the right to a support teacher is a constitutional guarantee that cannot be restricted by budgetary constraints and clarified that the ‘1:1 ratio’ principle refers to a student’s weekly school hours rather than a direct student-to-teacher ratio.

In addition to these legal shifts, advocacy groups such as M. E. D. A. and Puzzle d’Amore APS/ETS have raised concerns regarding delayed reimbursements for school transport for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic years. Despite a liquidation act published in August, families have reportedly had to advance costs for essential services. These associations have threatened to report the matter to the regional Court of Auditors if payments are not credited within a specified timeframe.

Further judicial action has reinforced protections for students with specific learning disabilities (DSA). The TAR Lazio recently annulled a decision to deny a student with DSA admission to the third year of high school, ruling that the school and the Ministry of Education failed to respect the student’s Personalized Didactic Plan (Pdp). The court found that during remedial exams, the institution failed to provide required compensatory tools and used questions incompatible with the student's diagnosis. Consequently, the Ministry and a scientific high school in Caprarola were ordered to pay 4,000 euros for moral damages and legal expenses.