Section 504
The Response to Intervention (RTI)/Student Support Team (SST) is the mechanism in the Columbia County School System for identifying disabled students who are eligible for an individual accommodation plan under Section 504. Parent/guardian may refer a student to the RTI/SST to consider the appropriateness and eligibility of a student for a 504 individual accommodation plan. For questions regarding RTI/SST and /or 504, contact your school level RTI/SST Coordinator.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a federal civil rights law and prohibits discrimination by LEAs receiving federal financial assistance against students with disabilities. Included in the U.S. Department of Education regulations for Section 504 is the requirement that students with disabilities be provided with a free appropriate public education (FAPE). These regulations require identification, evaluation, provision of appropriate services, and procedural safeguards in every public school in the U.S.
Section 504 prohibits discrimination against individuals whose physical or mental impairment substantially limits one or more major life activities, including, but is not limited to, the following:
- caring for one's self
- performing manual tasks
- walking
- seeing
- hearing
- speaking
- breathing
- working
- learning
- concentrating
- communicating
504 eligibility and accommodation plans are managed by each school. For more information regarding eligibility for Section 504 and the accommodation plan development process, contact your child's school 504 Coordinator.