District Implementation Guide for Section 504

District Implementation Guide for

Section 504

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Florida Department of Education Division of Public Schools

Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services 2011

This document was developed by the Student Support Services Project, University of South Florida, a special project funded by the Florida Department of Education, Division Public Schools, Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (BEESS), through federal assistance under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B and is available online at . For more information on available resources, contact the BEESS Resource and Information Center (BRIC).

BRIC website: . Bureau website:

E-mail: bric@

Telephone: (850) 245-0475

Fax: (850) 245-0987

District Implementation Guide for

Section 504

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Florida Department of Education Division of Public Schools

Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services 2011

Copyright State of Florida Department of State

2011

Authorization for reproduction is hereby granted to the state system of public education consistent with section 1006.03(2), Florida Statutes. No authorization is granted for distribution or reproduction outside of the state system of public education without prior approval in writing.

District Guide for Implementation of Section 504

Table of Contents Section 504

Contents

Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................... ix Introduction......................................................................................................................................1

Background.....................................................................................................................................................................1 Federal and State Laws................................................................................................................................................1

An Important Note about the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA).................................................. 4 Summary Table Laws and Regulations............................................................................................................ 4 Discrimination Defined........................................................................................................................................ 5 Section 504 Requirements and Procedures...................................................................................9 Within What Age Range Does a Disabled Student "Qualify"?.................................................................... 9 Which Students Are "Disabled"? ........................................................................................................................ 9 Prong One: Current Impairment .......................................................................................................................... 10 The Physical or Mental Impairment................................................................................................................10 Temporary Impairments....................................................................................................................................10 Impairments that Are Episodic or in Remission............................................................................................11 Episodic Impairments.........................................................................................................................................11 Impairments in Remission.................................................................................................................................11 Major Life Activities.............................................................................................................................................11 Major Bodily Functions.......................................................................................................................................12 Substantially Limits.............................................................................................................................................13 Mitigating Measures: Refocusing per ADAAA...............................................................................................13 Some Final Thoughts on Prong One...............................................................................................................14 Prong Two: The Record of Impairment............................................................................................................... 14 Prong Three: Regarded as Impaired.................................................................................................................... 14 Legal Obligations....................................................................................................................................................... 15 Requirements for Programs and Services .....................................................................................................15 Obligations of the School District to Comply with Section 504................................................................16 Operational Guidelines..................................................................................................................17 Problem Solving and Response to Instruction/Intervention (PS/RtI)...................................................... 17 Referral .......................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Evaluation..................................................................................................................................................................... 20 ADAAA and the "Disconnect" between Section 504 Eligibility and 504 Evaluation............................20

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Table of Contents Section 504

Eligibility........................................................................................................................................................................ 22 Mitigating Measures...........................................................................................................................................23 Health Plans and Emergency Response Plans .............................................................................................24 Impairments in Remission.................................................................................................................................24 Steps Required When Making Eligibility Decisions......................................................................................26 Reevaluation.........................................................................................................................................................27 The School District's Responsibility under Section 504 for Students Who Transfer From Another District....................................................................................................................................................................27

Developing and Implementing the Plan......................................................................................29 Section 504 Services & Accommodations......................................................................................................... 29 Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)........................................................................................................ 32 Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) ................................................................................................................... 32 Nonacademic/Extracurricular Services.............................................................................................................. 32 Nonpublic School Placement by Parent............................................................................................................ 33 Service Animal Guidelines...................................................................................................................................... 33 Related Services.......................................................................................................................................................... 34

Procedural Safeguards...................................................................................................................35 Provision of Notice..................................................................................................................................................... 35 Review Procedure....................................................................................................................................................... 37 Due Process Standards to Handle Discrimination Grievances .................................................................. 38 Section 504 Grievance Procedure Checklist..................................................................................................... 38 Parental Protection.................................................................................................................................................... 39

Discipline.........................................................................................................................................41 Background.................................................................................................................................................................. 41 Change in Placement................................................................................................................................................ 42 Suspension for More Than 10 Days...................................................................................................................... 42 Manifestation Determination for Section 504................................................................................................. 43 Drug and Alcohol Offenses..................................................................................................................................... 45 Weapons and Serious Bodily Injury Offenses.................................................................................................. 46 Transportation............................................................................................................................................................. 46

Comparison Of Section 504 and IDEA...........................................................................................47 Postsecondary Students and 504..................................................................................................57

Admission and Recruitment................................................................................................................................... 57

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District Guide for Implementation of Section 504

Table of Contents Section 504

Treatment of Students.............................................................................................................................................. 58 Academic Adjustments............................................................................................................................................ 58 Housing.......................................................................................................................................................................... 58 Financial Assistance................................................................................................................................................... 58 Nonacademic Services............................................................................................................................................. 59 Disability Services in a Postsecondary Situation............................................................................................. 59 Appendices.....................................................................................................................................61 Appendix A .....................................................................................................................................63 Regulations Implementing Section 504, PL 93-112, 34 CFR, Part 104.................................................... 63 Regulations Implementing Title II of ADA, 28 CFR, Part 35......................................................................... 63 Florida Educational Equity Act, s. 1000.05, F.S................................................................................................. 63 State Board of Education Administrative Rules Chapter 6A-19, F.A.C. .................................................. 65

6A-19.001 Scope, Coverage and Definitions.................................................................................................65 6A-19.002 Treatment of Students - General..................................................................................................69 6A-19.003 Health Services.................................................................................................................................74 Office of Civil Rights, Protecting Students with Disabilities: Frequently Asked Questions About Section 504 and the Education of Children with Disabilities..................................................................... 75 Appendix B.....................................................................................................................................89 Accommodations for Students with Disabilities............................................................................................. 89 Academic Engaged Time......................................................................................................................................... 91 Classroom Accommodations for Students with Disabilities....................................................................... 92 Accommodations for Taking Tests........................................................................................................................ 98 Appendix C................................................................................................................................... 101 Guidelines for School Districts on the Use of Service Animals by Students with Disabilities......101 Sample Template............................................................................................................................................. 102 Additional Resources....................................................................................................................................... 106 Appendix D.................................................................................................................................. 107 Glossary of Terms and Acronyms........................................................................................................................107 Appendix E: Sample Forms......................................................................................................... 111 Section 504 Child Find Notice, Form # 1..........................................................................................................113 Section 504 Referral, Form # 2.............................................................................................................................115 Notice and Consent for Initial Section 504 Evaluation, Form # 3............................................................119

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Table of Contents Section 504 Notice of Rights for Disabled Students and their Parents Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Form # 4 and # 5 (English/Spanish versions)............................................121 Teacher Input for Section 504 Evaluation, Form # 6....................................................................................125 Parent Input for Section 504 Evaluation, Form # 7.......................................................................................127 Notice of Section 504 Meeting, Form # 8.........................................................................................................131 Section 504 Evaluation and Periodic Re-evaluation, Form # 9................................................................133 Notice of Section 504 Evaluation Results, Form # 10..................................................................................137 Section 504 Student Accommodation Plan, Form # 11..............................................................................139 Section 504 Annual Review, Form # 12............................................................................................................143 Section 504 Manifestation Determination Evaluation, Form # 13..........................................................145 Notice of Section 504 Manifestation Determination Evaluation Results, Form # 14.......................147

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