504 PLANS
What is Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973?
Section 504 is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination by federally funded institutions, such as public schools, against individuals with disabilities.
Section 504 ensures that a student with a disability has equal access to education.
Students who qualify for a 504 plan cannot be denied the opportunity to participate in any aid, benefit, services, and/or activities that are available for students without disabilities. This includes school sponsored non-academic and extracurricular services and activities.
WHO CAN REFER A STUDENT FOR A 504 PLAN?
The 504 plan process may be initiated by a parent’s written request or by the school's Building Support (BBST) or Case Management team when the student is having academic, social, or behavioral problems that limit one or more major life activities.
Major life activities include, but are not limited to, caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, eating, sleeping, walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, communicating, reading, thinking, concentrating, and learning.
In addition, the district must believe that the student needs additional supports in the general education classroom in order to make progress. Prior to completing the evaluations, section 504 requires consent from the parents.
HOW DOES A STUDENT QUALIFY FOR A SECTION 504 PLAN?
In order to be eligible for a 504 plan a student must attend a school that receives federal financial assistance. In addition:
the student must be of school age;
the student must have a record establishing a mental, psychological, and/or physical disability (includes disabilities affecting behavioral controls); and
the disability must substantially limit one or more major life activities (walk, see, learn, etc.).
Students may be eligible for a 504 plan if a temporary disability limits a major life activity (walking, writing, etc.).
HOW IS A 504 PLAN DIFFERENT FROM SPECIAL EDUCATION?
In order to be found eligible for special education services, a student must be diagnosed with a disability that impairs their ability to make effective progress in school and thus requires specialized instruction and/or related services in order to make such progress.
Unlike a special education student, a student with a 504 plan is able to make effective progress in school without the need for specialized instruction and/or related services. However, he or she requires accommodations in order to gain equal access to instruction and/or the school facility. A student’s 504 plan will provide accommodations that allow a student with a major life activity impairment to have the same level of access to the instruction, school activities, and the school building as students without disabilities.
WHAT KIND OF EVALUATIONS WILL THE SCHOOL COMPLETE?
The Maynard Public Schools 504 team will review assessments presented by the parents and may recommend more formal assessments to be completed by appropriately trained and certified Maynard Public School staff.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD A STUDENT BE EVALUATED FOR PURPOSES OF SECTION 504?
Maynard Public School staff will evaluate students every three years or sooner if requested by the parents and/or teachers.
WHO DETERMINES ELIGIBILITY?
Each school has a 504 coordinator designated by the Principal to assist parents and the school. The eligibility decision must be made by a group of people including individuals that know the child, who can provide meaning to the evaluations, and can provide information regarding placement/accommodations options. Parents are not required members of this group. However, the parent must receive notice of the school’s proposed actions.
TIMELINE
The following reccomended timeline is a guide for parents and staff.
Best efforts will be made to respond within 5 school working days of receiving the initial request for a 504 plan / eligibility meeting, the parents will be contacted by the 504 coordinator
Best efforts will be made to hold a meeting within 15 school working days of the initial request to consider documentation submitted by the parent. Eligibility could be determined at this meeting unless additional assessments are requested and consented to.
Best efforts will be made to hold a meeting within 45 school working days of the initial request to discuss additional evaluations completed to determine eligibility.
Best efforts will be made to send a 504 plan within 10 school working days of the eligibility meeting to the parents for review or provide reason for denying the request clarified.
Best efforts will be made to hold the annual 504 meeting prior to the start of the new school year to review and revise the plan.
WHAT KIND OF ACCOMMODATIONS/PLACEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS WITH 504 PLANS?
For purposes of a 504 plan, an accommodation/placement can mean keeping the student in the general education classroom with individual accommodations that ensure that the student will have equal access to the same results, benefits, and achievements as students without disabilities (See bottom of page for examples of accommodations).
WHAT RIGHTS DOES SECTION 504 PROVIDE FOR STUDENTS?
Free and Appropriate Education in the Least Restrictive Environment
Federally funded schools must provide a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment to all students who have a disability. The right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) generally means that children who have disabilities, including children with disabilities who have been suspended or expelled from school, have the right to be educated at public expense, in a manner appropriate to meet their unique needs. Least Restrictive Environment refers to the right of students with disabilities to be educated as much as possible with children who do not have disabilities.
Discipline
A school may discipline a student on a 504 plan for fewer than 10 days in the same way they would discipline students without disabilities. If a section 504 student is subject to discipline (i.e. suspensions, etc.) for more than 10 days, a manifestation determination meeting must be held. A manifestation determination meeting brings together the 504 team to assess whether the student’s behavior that led to discipline is linked to their disability or a failure to implement their 504 plan. If the student’s behavior is a manifestation of their disability, the student should be allowed to return to their school placement. If the school determines the behavior is not a manifestation of the student’s disability, the student will be subject to the same disciplinary actions (including suspensions or expulsion) that apply to students without disabilities.
Procedural Safeguards
The Maynard Public School administration are required to establish and implement procedural safeguards with respect to identification, evaluation, and placement procedures.
The procedural safeguards include:
Notice: Parents have the right to receive advance notice of evaluations and meetings as well as notice of the results and actions taken by the 504 team.
Examine Relevant Records: Parents have the right to review the documents and evidence utilized by the 504 team to determine eligibility and placement/accommodations.
Impartial Hearing: Parents have the right to file a discrimination complaint against the school district. Parents have the opportunity to participate in the hearing and to have representation of an attorney, at the family’s own cost.
Review: Right to appeal decision from hearing.
WHO ENFORCES SECTION 504?
Maynard Public School Principal oversees the specific school 504 process and assigns the 504 coordinator. The Director of Student Services oversees the 504 process at the District level.
Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
OCR is part of the U.S. Department of Education and enforces section 504. An individual may file a formal complaint with OCR if a school that receives federal assistance discriminates against a student on the basis of their disability. Discrimination claims do not include claims regarding placement or 504 plan content, as long as the school followed the procedural requirements. A complaint must be filed within 180 days from the date of the alleged discrimination.
Any concerns with the 504 plan implementation should be brought to the Principals attention.
If you wish to file a complaint with OCR, please contact:
Office of Civil Rights, Boston Office
U.S. Department of Education
8th Floor
5 Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109-3921
Phone: (617) 289-0111 Fax: (617) 289-0150
Email: OCR.Boston@ed.gov
www.ed.gov/ocr/complaintprocess.html
Bureau of Special Education Appeals (BSEA)
If the parent and school cannot agree on services for the child, the parent may request either mediation or a due process hearing at the Bureau of Special Education Appeals (BSEA). The BSEA is an administrative division of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) that resolves disputes between parents and school districts.
As a practical matter, prior to considering a hearing at the BSEA, the parent should have evidence that the child needs the services the parent desires. Both the mediation and hearing processes are intended to be accessible to families without legal representation. The hearing process is more adversarial and formal than the mediation process. At a hearing, similar to a court trial, the parents have a right to present documents and witnesses in support of their position.
The BSEA may be contacted at:
Bureau of Special Education Appeals
One Congress Street, 11th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: (617)626-7250
www.mass.gov/anf/hearings-andappeals/bureau-of-special-education-appeals-bsea/
Court
Section 504 may also be enforced through a private lawsuit filed in federal court. It is not necessary to file a complaint with a federal or state agency or to receive a “right to sue” letter before going to court. Section 504 allows courts with the appropriate discretion to award attorney’s fees.
WHAT IF I NEED FURTHER ASSISTANCE AND INFORMATION REGARDING SECTION 504?
Program Quality Assurance (PQA)
The Massachusetts DESE’s Program Quality Assurance Services (PQA) can provide additional assistance and information regarding the implementation of section 504. The PQA’s Educational Specialists also have the capacity to investigate complaints about a school’s failure to develop Section 504 plans or to deliver the accommodations called for by the plan.
Concerns must be presented to the PQA within one year from the date of the alleged violation. The PQA cannot address issues regarding FAPE and 504 plans at the same time that the issue is the subject of a BSEA proceeding or an OCR complaint.
The PQA may be contacted at:
Program Quality Assurance Services
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148
Phone: (781) 338-3700
www.doe.mass.edu/pqa
SAMPLE ACCOMMODATIONS:
Modified homework, class work, and tests
Extra time for homework, class work, and tests
Extra set of books for home
Preferential seating close to source of instruction
Assistance when moving about the building
Grading based on individual progress or effort
Test retake for better grades
Visual aids
Test directions read orally
Use of calculator
Table of facts for reference
Frequent breaks
Behavior Intervention Plan
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
The Maynard Public School District staff are committed to ensuring that all of its programs and facilities are accessible to all students, employees and members of the public. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, national origin, color, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or housing status with regard to our education programs, activities or employment practices.
Any alleged discriminatory practices within the scope of Title IV, Title IX, Section 504, or any other civil rights laws should be addressed through the following grievance procedures.
1) If you believe you or your child has been discriminated against, you should file a complaint with the Director of Student Services. To be considered, the written complaint must fully set out the circumstances giving rise to the alleged grievance. The Director of Student Services will investigate and document the complaint, and mail a written reply to the complainant within ten (10) school days of meeting with the complainant.
2) If the complaint is not satisfactorily resolved through Step 1, the complainant may file a written appeal to the Superintendent. To be considered, the written complaint must fully set out the circumstances giving rise to the alleged grievance and must be filed with the Superintendent's Office within ten (10) school days of receiving the Director of Student Services’ response. The Superintendent shall review all written materials and schedule a meeting to hear the appeal at the earliest possible date after receipt of the appeal. Within ten (10) school days of that meeting, the Superintendent will issue a written response to the appeal.
3) In the event that the complaint is not resolved through Step 2, the complainant may file a request for a hearing before an impartial hearing officer. Such a request must be filed no later than ten (10) school days after the date of the Superintendent's decision in Step 2. The impartial hearing officer shall not be an employee of the District and will be an attorney or educator knowledgeable about civil rights laws. The hearing officer will provide the complainant and the District with the opportunity to present oral and/or written information on the grievance. The complainant and the District may be represented by counsel of their choosing and at their own expense. The hearing officer will render a decision as expeditiously as possible after the conclusion of the hearing.
Director of Student Services, 3R Tiger Drive, Maynard - 978-897-2138
Superintendent, 3R Tiger Drive, Maynard - 978-897-2222
Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 33 Arch Street, Suite 900,
Boston, MA 02110-1491 – 617-223-9662