Hall Co. 504 Form, 504 Overview (H195595).DOC



HALL COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEMSTUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT711 Green StreetGainesville, GA 30501Phone: (770) 534-1080 Fax: (770) 533-4015SECTION 504 PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES(Revised: 08-2016)The teacher (or parent) completes the “Request for Section 504 Consideration” form and returns it to the 504 Coordinator at the school.The 504 Coordinator at the school will schedule a meeting with the student's parent(s)/guardian(s). The teacher will send home a “Notice of Section 504 Committee Meeting” which contains the rights afforded by Section 504.The committee will review all available relevant data. If additional data is needed, that will be documented on a “Permission to Assess” form, which should be signed by (or sent to) the legal guardian along with a copy of the “Notice of Parents’ Rights Under Section 504.”After the permission for further assessment has been granted, the committee members will gather needed data. The 504 Coordinator will schedule a follow-up 504 meeting with the committee. The teacher will send home a “Notice of Section 504 Committee Meeting”.If the student is eligible as a student with a disability under Section 504, the Section 504 Team will then determine if the student requires accommodations or services under Section 504 and if so, recommended accommodations or services will be stated on this form and this form will constitute the child’s accommodation plan.The accommodations plan will be implemented as designed for the prescribed period of time. An accommodation plan is a legal document that must be followed by all applicable parties. Consult with Hall County School System 504 Coordinator, Thomas Stegarp, for Section 504 guidance. He can be contacted at 770-534-3939, or via e-mail at thomas.stegarp@HALL COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEMSTUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT711 Green StreetGainesville, GA 30501Phone: (770) 534-1080 Fax: (770) 533-4015SECTION 504 OVERVIEWCourtesy of the Georgia Department of Education SST Manual (1997)Congress prohibited discrimination against persons with disabilities in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, in a segment most often referred to simply as “Section 504.” This was a broadly worded prohibition that covers both children and adults. It applies to programs that receive any federal financial assistance. The principles enumerated in this section were later expanded and served as the basis for the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Section 504 prohibits discrimination against individuals whose physical or mental impairment substantially limits one or more major life activities, including:Caring for one’s self Performing manual tasks Walking Hearing Learning CommunicatingReadingSpeaking Breathing Seeing Working ConcentratingThinkingAlso includes operation of major bodily function …including but not limited to, functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and reproductive functions.“Physical or mental impairment” was defined to mean: Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculo-skeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive, digestive, genito-urinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; orAny mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.” (34CFR104) It is important to remember that the presence of one of these conditions in itself does not qualify an individual for 504 protection. The impairment must also cause a substantial limitation of a major life activity. Importantly, the federal regulations for Section 504 went further by also prohibiting discrimination against any person who “has a record of such an impairment” or who “is regarded as having such an impairment.” In so many words, this refers to persons who are treated as if they have the impairment, even if they no longer do, or never did. These phrases were defined in the same regulations as follows: Has a record of such an impairment means has a history of, or has been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” (emphasis added) Is regarded as having an impairment means has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially limit major life activities but that is treated by a [funding] recipient as constituting such a limitation; has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward such an impairment has none of the impairments defined in this section but is treated by a [funding] recipient as having such an impairment.” (emphasis added) It is important to note that the second and third prongs of Section 504 (has a record of or is regarded as having an impairment) do not guarantee accommodations to the individual. These prongs simply afford the individual with protection from discrimination. What Does Section 504 Provide?If a child is eligible under Section 504, the school must then determine if the student requires accommodations. If the student requires accommodations, the school must develop a Section 504 plan that includes appropriate accommodations and/or related services. Many believe that a Section 504 plan is a standard checklist or form used for all eligible children; however, a Section 504 plan should be developed to meet the child's specific needs and not merely what the school district has available.Accommodations should be documented in the Section 504 plan. Several examples of appropriate accommodations to help children cope with their disability and access the educational environment (academic and non-academic) could include:Reducing the number of homework problems without reducing the level or content of what is being taught.Giving the student a quiet place to work or a place without many distractions.Providing clear and simple directions for homework and in-class assignments.Giving tests in a quiet place and/or providing extra time.Giving the student a copy of notes. Using behavior management techniques, including positive reinforcement. Having a nurse or administrator oversee a student's medication.Meeting with the school counselor. Creating a notebook so that parents and teachers may keep each other informed of the child's progress or difficulties.Students are also entitled to accommodations enable the student to participate in non-academic settings the same as non-disabled peers such as athletics, after school programs, etc. if the student requires such accommodations as determined by his or her Section 504 Team. EvaluationSection 504 requires a child to have an evaluation before receiving a 504 plan. An evaluation does not have to be formalized testing, but it must consider information from a variety of sources (parent notes, doctor's notes, test scores, observations, etc.). Decisions about who qualifies for Section 504 cannot be based solely on a single source of data (i.e. a doctor's diagnosis or grades). Once a 504 plan has been set, the child should be evaluated again before any significant changes are made. ................
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