504 Parent / Guardian Rights
Parent/Guardian Rights and Appeal Procedures
for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a civil rights act prohibiting discrimination based on disability. It was enacted to eliminate barriers that exclude persons with disabilities.
Section 504 applies to all agencies that receive federal funds, including public schools, federal agencies, and places of public accommodation. In the school district, all staff and administrators have the responsibility of insuring that all students with disabilities are identified, evaluated and provided with needed accommodations and services, resulting in a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Section 504 is enforced by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights.
Public school districts have the duty to provide a free appropriate public education to all qualified disabled students. A FAPE must include an education designed to provide educational benefit despite the child's disability; it must be at no cost to the parent; and it must be provided in an environment that affords the greatest exposure to nondisabled peers.