Section 504
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in any programs and activities which receive federal financial assistance. Educationally, Section 504 guarantees certain rights to students with disabilities, including the right to full participation and access to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) regardless of the nature or severity of the disability.
Section 504 requires school districts to provide students with disabilities the same opportunity to succeed in school as is provided to students without disabilities. For this to occur, programs must be accessible for students with disabilities by providing reasonable adaptations and/or modifications for instructional purposes.
For a student to be eligible under section 504 he/she must have the presence of a documented physical or mental impairment and the disabling impairment must result in substantial limitation of major life activities. Some examples of major life activities include self-care, walking, communicating, seeing, hearing, breathing, etc.
A diagnosis of a disability does not automatically qualify a student for eligibility under Section 504. School teams and parents who feel a student may meet the criteria for Section 504 eligibility may request a 504 Team meeting and/or 504 evaluation of the student.