Kids with physical or mental disabilities can face academic hurdles for a variety of reasons. But parents can take advantage of federal laws to help ensure their children's special needs are met.

Section 504 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is designed to help parents of students with physical or mental impairments in public schools, or publicly funded private schools, work with educators to design customized educational plans. These 504 plans legally ensure that students will be treated fairly at school.

504 Plan Basics

Students can qualify for 504 plans if they have physical or mental impairments that affect or limit any of their abilities to:

• walk, breathe, eat, or sleep
• communicate, see, hear, or speak
• read, concentrate, think, or learn
• stand, bend, lift, or work

The goal of 504 plans is for students to be educated in regular classrooms along with the services or accommodations they might need. If students with these plans can't achieve satisfactory academic success, as is determined by the 504 Team, then your child may qualify for a 504.

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