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Section 504

Section 504 Rehabilitation Act Program

Section 504 enables a student with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity to receive accommodations and/or related services to ensure equal access to education.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities and applies to all entities that receive Federal funding (as does the Black Oak Mine Unified School District).  Accommodations and services specified in a Section 504 Plan are implemented within the general education program.  Each school has a designated Section 504 Coordinator—often the school principal or assistant principal—who is responsible to assist with referrals and evaluation, facilitate the Section 504 Eligibility Determination meeting, create a plan, and ensure that related services and accommodations are implemented.

Almost every accommodation or modification of a student's program occurs outside of a 504 plan through the school's regular SST (Student Study Team) process.  Only when the SST plan is ineffective and a student meets 504 eligibility criteria is a 504 plan developed.  Parents who have utilized the school's SST process and believe their child may qualify for a 504 plan should contact the 504 coordinator at the school.