1. AGENTS YOU HAVE 13 MINUTES TO COMPLETE THIS MISSION
TRAINING OBJECTIVE-
504 UNDERSTANDING AND IMPLEMENTATION
AGENT TASK-
REVIEW 504 POWER POINT AS REQUIRED BY LAW
AGENTS YOU HAVE 13 MINUTES TO COMPLETE THIS MISSION

2. Revised August 17, 2017 Adam King, District 504 Coordinator
§504 for Schools
Davis School District
Revised August 17, Adam King, District 504 Coordinator
Updated by MJP

3. THE HISTORY
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990
Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) in 2008
THE WHY
It is major federal legislation affecting all entities receiving federal funds (but it doesn’t provide funds).
Civil rights legislation designed to prevent discrimination based on disability.
Provides protection for disabled people who are “otherwise qualified.”
THE WHAT
No discrimination on the basis of disability
Equitable opportunities and access as non-disabled peers (but not unlimited opportunities).
Receive supplementary aids and services (accommodations, etc.) if proper evaluation shows need.

4. FAPE = Free Appropriate Public Education
Regular or special education and related aids and services that are designed to meet the individual need of students as adequately as the needs of non-disabled students are met.
Provided to all students with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability
Failure to implement all the provisions of the 504 plan (or IEP) including the behavior plan is a denial of FAPE

5. Is there a Physical or Mental Impairment (Disability)?
Very broad definition (not as specific as the SPED)
Based on documentation or testing from someone with knowledge of that disability
Can be a doctor, psychologist, OT, PT, SLP, etc.
Not just for medical needs, and not just from a doctor.
You don’t have to have a doctor’s note to begin Child Find
Does the disability “substantially limit” a “major life activity?”
Walking, breasting, learning, hearing, working, seeing, caring for self, concentrating, thinking….etc.
Does the student require accommodations (a 504 plan) to have equal access to their education?
Just because a student has a disability (or doctor’s note) doesn’t mean they NEED a plan to have equal opportunity… we must evaluate how it affects their education.
Grades are not the only thing that can be affected
Can be academic, social, extracurricular, behavior, physical access, executive functioning, etc.
Be specific, because services should match the concerns

6. 504 TEAM THINGS THE TEAM MAY CONSIDER:
May include parents, health care personnel, teacher, guardian, 504 coordinator, psych, etc
THINGS THE TEAM MAY CONSIDER:
Previous History
Health Info
Current Achievement
Teacher Input
Attendance
Intervention
Observations
Behavior
Adaptive Needs
Classroom Performance
Socialization
Formal Evaluations
Anything Else Relevant
Knowledgeable about the disability
Knowledgeable about the programs
Knowledgeable about the student

7. It’s just what we do to ensure human rights! PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS
WHEN
Child Find should be conducted anytime you have reason to suspect that a child has a disability.
A 504 meeting should be held to review evaluation results and determine if the student is eligible and needs a 504 plan.
Once a child has a 504 plan, a meeting to review that plan must be held “periodically”
Does not have to be done yearly like in special education
Should be done when a student is changing schools
Should be done when parent requests or when team sees a need
Should be done anytime a major change of service is requested
WHO’S JOB?
504 is an unfunded – organizations are required to make it work in their buildings without being provided federal funding.
So… providing 504 services becomes the responsibility of everyone as part of their regular jobs (usually without extra pay!) – document that you provided them
This includes teachers, administrators, secretaries, cooks, custodians, paraprofessional, subs, and everyone else…
It’s just what we do to ensure human rights!
PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS
School districts must provide a system of procedural safeguards regarding identification, evaluation, and educational placement
Procedural safeguards include:
Notice
Records review by parent or guardian
Due process
A review procedure

8. THE 504 PLAN
Includes accommodations and services that have a direct relationship to the student impairment and need (i.e. peanut allergy would not always justify additional time to complete tasks)
An accommodation should not fundamentally alter the basic components of a program
There is no limit to the amount of accommodations in a 504
Related services are written quantitatively, not qualitatively
Many accommodations should be tried at as interventions before being put on the plan. Take data!
If it’s written on the plan, you MUST follow it. If you have questions about it, take data and bring it to the team.

9. THE SCHOOL’s RESPONSIBILITY
Conduct Child Find (locate all students with disabilities who could/must be served) Provide FAPE
Give disabled students equal opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities
Protect confidentiality of students
Avoid discrimination and retaliation
Consider “red flags” for evaluation such as ongoing behavior, academic or attendance problems, unexplained underachievement or suspension/expulsion
Contribute information to the evaluation and plan writing process (must document!)
Establish non-discriminatory evaluation & placement procedures
Communicate procedural safeguards to staff members and parents to enable them to meaningfully participate in decisions regarding identification, evaluation and placement of students
Understand and follow the legal regulations and procedures of 504
Accommodations/services are mandatory
Educators can be held liable for disregarding a student’s Section 504 plan
Be thoughtful about what you say to parents
Direct questions/concerns back to Building 504 Coordinator

10. DISCRIMINATION BASED ON DISABILITY
Discrimination includes anything where someone with a disability is given something less or denied something because of their disability (including a free appropriate public education).
This can happen on field trips, in the classroom, lunchroom, special programs, extracurricular activities, class photos, etc.
Be very careful about retaliation, which means mistreating someone because they have filed a complaint or were involved in an investigation.
Disability discrimination is prohibited by law, and the District does not tolerate it. If it is discovered, effective action (including disciplinary action where appropriate) will be taken.
THINGS NOT TO SAY
“I think if you get a 504 plan you can have a TA to take care of the student all day.”
“I am not going to provide that accommodation/intervention unless its on the 504 plan.”
“If you want more teeth to that, you need to go with an IEP instead.”
“We don’t accommodate in this class.”

11. YOUR TRAINING IS NOW COMPLETE.
PLEASE SIGN THE 504 TRAINING DOCUMENT PRIOR TO LEAVING THIS MISSION.