Section 504
What is Section 504?
A Section 504 Plan is an Accommodation Plan that requires classroom teachers and other school staff to provide accommodations and/or services necessary for Section 504 eligible students to participate in and benefit from public eduction programs and activities. Accommodations may provide support for physical, instructional, or social/emotional nature. Section 504 is a Civil Rights Law that protects the rights of individuals with disabilities. Section 504 is a responsibility of the General Education Program and requires participation from the General Education staff and curriculum.
Who is Eligible?
A qualified individual with a disability is a student who:
Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; and has a record of such impairment or is regarded as having such an impairment.
Section 504 Act
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects the rights of persons with handicaps in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. Section 504 protects the rights not only of individuals with visible disabilities, but also those with disabilities that may not be apparent.
Section 504 provides that:
"No otherwise qualified individual with handicaps in the United States...shall solely by reason of her or his handicap, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance...."
Eligibility Breakdown
Physical Impairment
A Physical Impairment is any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems:
Neurological;Musculoskeletal; Special Sense organs; Respiratory: including speech organs; Cardiovascular, etc.
Mental Impairment
A Mental Impairment is any mental or psychological disorder such as Mental retardation, Organic Brain Syndrome, Emotional or Mental Illness, and specific learning disabilities.
Major Life Activities
A Major Life Activity is defined as functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, reading, thinking, and concentrating.
Accommodations
- An accommodation should be an effective strategy provided as an alternative means to support a student's disability so that the:
- Accommodation should be specific to the classes/activities affected by the disability.
- An accommodation should reasonably:
- Accommodation maintains a safe learning environments for all participants
- Accommodation does not require alteration to the core curriculum or goals of the program
- Accommodation still enables program staff to perform their core function
- accommodation does not create an undue financial burden for the program that could impact operation
- It is a provision of support ensure equitable access. Accommodation plans do not ensure passing grades. The accommodation adjust how students learn and help build student independent thinking skills and become more capable of taking care of themselves.