Section 504/ADA

The District follows the guidelines set forth in the Section 504/ADA Handbook, as well as all provisions under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which state that “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States…shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance…” [29 U.S.C. Sec. 794]. An individual with a disability means any person who (i) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, (ii) has a record of such impairment, or (iii) is regarded as having such an impairment.

Section 504 regulations require that school districts provide reasonable accommodations and/or related services necessary for qualified disabled students to participate in and benefit from public education programs and activities. A qualified disabled person is (i) of an age during which nondisabled persons are provided such services, (ii) of any age during which it is mandatory under state law to provide such services to disabled persons, or (iii) to whom a state is required to provide a free and appropriate public education under Section 612 of the Education of the Handicapped Act.

The provision of an appropriate education is the provision of regular or special education and related aids and services that (i) are designed to meet individual educational needs of disabled persons as adequately as the needs of nondisabled persons are met and (ii) are based upon adherence to procedures that address the educational setting, evaluation and placement, and procedural safeguards. The District must make reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified disabled student unless it can be demonstrated that the accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the programs. In determining reasonable accommodations, a Section 504 evaluation team shall use a variety of evaluation and assessment techniques and procedures to determine if the student has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. When a student is found to have such a condition, a 504 Plan shall be developed and implemented with parent consent. The 504 Plan shall be reviewed and revised at least annually and a re-evaluation shall be completed every three years. District guidelines related to the application of Section 504 to students are outlined in the Practice Statement 6006. Section 504 complaints can be filed under Policy and Practice Statement 6006.