Video Review- Section 504

Your name: Jill Bardin Description of the content of the video (2 to 4 paragraphs) Section 504 is a civil rights legislation that is monitored by the Office of Civil Rights. It requires individuals with disabilities to receive equal opportunities and treatment as individuals without disabilities. It is not intended to give people with disabilities an advantage. Unlike IDEA, Section 504 is not age specific and it has nothing to do with clinical categories. It is a birth to death law. It is a very broad law that includes many disabilities. Section 504 requires that the disability must substantially limit one or more daily life activities. Major daily life activities include caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing and hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, sitting, procreating, stooping, eating, and reaching. The standard for substantial limitation is to consider if the child does as well as average performance in the general population. Under Section 504, schools are required to do three things. First, they are required to provide students with equal opportunity in the academic curriculum as students without disabilities. They are also required to give all students the same opportunities to be involved in nonacademic and extracurricular activities. Individuals with disabilities must have equal opportunities to participate in all activities In order to be in compliance with Section 504, schools must designate a 504 coordinator, develop a set of procedures, provide professional development, keep it simple, treat kids fairly, and provide due process. If a school suspects that a student is eligible for services under Section 504, they must first refer the student. Once the referral is made, the school must get a team together to discuss the student. After that, the student that is suspected of being eligible must be evaluated. Then, an accommodation plan must be developed and implemented to provide the student with a free and appropriate evaluation. Lastly, the school must provide for due process rights. Description of how the content of the video is of importance to special education teachers, counselors, administrators, etc. (2 to 4 paragraphs). Section 504 is a very important law that all school personnel should understand despite whether or not they are currently working with the a student with a 504 plan. All teachers should know the procedures if they suspect that a student may be eligible for 504 services. Everyone in the school needs to know about what they are required to do to comply with the law. It is important that all staff know about the law, so they are know what they are legally required to do under the law. They need to know what kind of accommodations to provide in the student when they are working with the student. Students with 504 plans have these plans so that

they receive the same educational opportunities as students without disabilities. Everyone needs to know what they need to do to ensure that they receive the services they are required to receive by law. If the student does not receive what they should, the school will be liable.