504 Plans
Wilson County Schools complies with Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (1973) by providing services, programs, and activities offered to qualified individuals. Section 504 is a civil rights legislation to protect the rights of individuals; it is not a special education statute.
Section 504 Overview
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a federal civil rights law designed to prevent discrimination against individuals with disabilities. It ensures that students with disabilities have equal access to educational opportunities and school programs.
Under Section 504, no qualified student with a disability may be:
Excluded from participation in school activities,
Denied the benefits of public education,
Or subjected to discrimination solely based on their disability, in any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance, which includes public schools.
What is a Section 504 Plan?
A Section 504 Plan is a formal plan developed by a school team to ensure that a student with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities receives the necessary accommodations and support services to access learning and participate fully in school. Section 504 requires 504 teams to include persons who are knowledgeable about the child, the meaning of the evaluation data, and placement options.
These accommodations are designed to level the playing field; they do not alter what a student is expected to learn, but rather how they access that learning.
School-Level 504 Coordinators
If you believe your child may be eligible for a Section 504 Plan, or if you have questions about an existing plan, please contact your school counselor, who is the school-level 504 coordinator.
District-Level 504 Coordinator
For additional information regarding Section 504, please contact Cheryl Baggett, Wilson County Schools 504 District Coordinator, at the following contact information:
Cheryl Baggett, EdD
Executive Director of Student Services
Wilson County Schools
117 NE Tarboro Street
Wilson, NC 27894
(252) 399-7700 (Phone)
(252) 399-2776 (Fax)
You may also contact the Office for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Education for any questions regarding Section 504:
4000 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1475
Telephone: 202-453-6020
Facsimile: 202-453-6021
TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: OCR.DC@ed.gov