Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
commonly referred to as “Section 504,” is a nondiscrimination statue enacted by
the United States Congress. The purpose
of Section 504 is to prohibit discrimination and to assure that disabled
students have educational opportunities and benefits equal to those provided to
non-disabled students.
For more information regarding Section 504, or
if you have questions or need additional assistance, please contact your local
system’s Section 504 Coordinator at the following address:
Seminole County
Elementary School
Attn: Ms. Kem Earnest
800 Marianna Hwy.
Donalsonville, GA 39845
Seminole County
Middle High
School
Attn: Ms. Natalie Cloud
5528 Hwy 39 S.
Donalsonville, GA 39845
The implementing regulations for Section 504 as
set out in 34 CFR Part 104 provide parents and/or students with following
rights:
- Your child has the right
to an appropriate education designed to meet his or her individual educational
needs as adequately as the needs of non-disabled students. 34 CFR 104.33.
- Your child has the right
to free educational services except for those fees that are imposed on
non-disabled students or their parents.
Insurers and similar third parties who provide services not operated by
or provided by the recipient are not relieved from an otherwise valid
obligation to provide or pay for services provided to a disabled student. 34 CRF 104.33.
- Your child has a right
to participate in an educational setting (academic and nonacademic) with
non-disabled students to the maximum extent appropriate to his or her
needs. 34 CFR 104.34.
- Your child has a right
to facilities, services, and activities that are comparable to those provided
for non-disabled students. 34 CFR
104.34.
- Your child has a right
to an evaluation prior to a Section 504 determination of eligibility. 34 CFR 104.35.
- You have the right to
not consent to the school system’s request to evaluate your child. 34 CFR 104.35.
- You have the right to
ensure that evaluation procedures, which may include testing, conform to the
requirements of 34 CFR 104.35.
- You have the right to
ensure that the school system will consider information from a variety of
sources as appropriate, which may include aptitude and achievement tests,
grades, teacher recommendations and observations, physical conditions, social
or cultural background, medical records, and parental recommendations. 34 CFR 104.35.
- You have the right to
ensure that placement decisions are made by a group of persons, including
persons knowledgeable about your child, the meaning of the evaluation data, the
placement options, and the legal requirements for least restrictive environment
and comparable facilities. 34 CFR
104.35.
- If your child is
eligible under Section 504, your child has a right to periodic reevaluations,
including prior to any subsequent significant change of placement. 34 CFR 104.35.
- You have the right to
notice prior to any actions by the school system regarding the identification,
evaluation, or placement of your child.
34 CFR 104.36.
- You have the right to
examine your child’s educational records.
34 CFR 104.36.
- You have the right to an
impartial hearing with respect to the school system’s actions regarding your
child’s identification, evaluation, or educational placement, with opportunity
for parental participation in the hearing and representation by an
attorney. 34 CFR 104.36
- You have the right to
receive a copy of this notice and a copy of the school system’s impartial
hearing procedure upon request. 34 CFR
104.36
- If you disagree with the
decision of the impartial hearing office (school board members and other
district employees are not considered impartial hearing officers), you have a
right to a review of that decision according to the school system’s impartial
hearing procedure. 34 CFR 104.36
- You have the right to,
at any time, file a complaint with the United States Department of Education’s
Office for Civil Rights.
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