Section 504

As the school counselor, I am the 504 Plan case manger. 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) are civil rights law, which prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities.  Under Section 504 and the ADA a student is considered disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity such as learning, walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, working, etc.  Section 504 and the ADA also apply to students with a record of having a substantially limiting impairment, or who are regarded as being disabled even if they are not truly disabled. 

A referral, evaluation, and an eligibility meeting need to occur before a plan is written. The plan includes specific accommodations to ensure that students have an equal opportunity to have a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Accommodations are physical, instructional or behavioral. Some of which include preferential seating, adjusted schedule including nurse visits, assistive technology, testing adaptations, etc. 

Some examples of disabilities covered by Section 504 include but are not limited to: