Southside Independent School District

WHAT IS SECTION 504?  Section 504 is a civil rights law designed to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability in any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

How Can Section 504 Help My Child?  Section 504 guarantees certain rights to individuals with disabilities, including the right to full participation and access to a free and appropriate public education.  “Free and Appropriate Public Education” is often referred to as “FAPE.”

Section 504 Further Described  Section 504 essentially “levels the playing field” to ensure full participation by individuals with disabilities.  Individual needs of students with disabilities must be met just the same as the needs of students without disabilities.

Who Is Eligible?  Any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or  Any person who has a record of such an impairment, or  Any person who is regarded as having such an impairment.

Define Major Life Activity  Major life activities include caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.

For Example,  Think of a student who uses a wheelchair for mobility.  This student literally could not climb a set of stairs to get to class.

What Could the School District Do?  The school district could provide a ramp which would allow the student in the wheelchair to access the classroom just as students without disabilities access the classroom.  This allows the person with a disability equal access to full participation in provision of a free and appropriate public education.

Tell Me More about Accommodations Under Section 504  Accommodations must achieve meaningful, equal opportunity, and must consider the functional limitations of the person and alternative methods of performance.

Another Illustration  A student who has an illness which is episodic in nature, such as Asthma, which flares up and then goes away, may sometimes not be able to attend classes.  How could Section 504 help in an instance such as this?

Answer  If the student were to be determined to be eligible for Section 504 protection, there are accommodations which could be applied to help the student maintain academic progress.

What Do I Do As A Parent?  If you believe that your child may have a disability which could be keeping him/her from a free and appropriate public education, contact your campus administrator.

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