Network Team Training Opening Session
General Overview of Section 504 and Revisions to the Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP) June, 2016
Special Thanks
Dr. Charlie Michel and Local 504 Coordinators for Work on the IAP Form
2
Special Thanks Special thanks to Bridget Bergeron, ST. Martin Aeneid Mason, Zachary for their expertise with this presentation
3
Section 504: General Information • Section 504, which was included in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 passed by Congress, prohibits discrimination against persons with a disability in any program that receives federal financial assistance. It defines a person with a disability as anyone who: • has a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities; • has a record of such an impairment; or • regarded by the school as having an impairment
4
A Complicated Issue • While federally mandated, no funds accompany this legislation • Compliance is not optional. All schools that accept federal funds must be in compliance • The Office of Civil Rights is the enforcement agency
5
Section 504: Definition of Eligibility • Does NOT contain a list of specific disabilities which result in eligibility • Does provide broad list of impairments. Impairments are any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: • • • • • •
Neurological Musculoskeletal Special sense organs Respiratory Speech organs Cardiovascular
• • • • • •
Reproductive Digestive Genitor-urinary Hemic and lymphatic Skin Endocrine 6
Eligibility (continued) • Major life activity • Substantially limits • Expanded definition of students with disabilities
7
What are some “major life activities”? •
Self-care
•
Breathing
•
Manual tasks
•
Interacting with others
•
Walking
•
Working
•
Seeing
•
Reading
•
Speaking
•
Standing
•
Sitting
•
Lifting
•
Thinking
•
Bending
•
Learning
•
Concentrating 8
Substantial Limitation The student is unable to perform a major life activity that the average student of the same age can perform or that the student is significantly restricted as to the condition, manner or duration under which a particular major life activity is performed as compared to the average student of approximately the same age.
9
What information is used in documenting the substantial limitation? • Grades over the past several years • Teachers reports • Information from parents or other agencies • State assessment scores or other school-administered tests • Observations, discipline reports, attendance records • Health/Medical records • Intervention results (including RTI and PBIS)
10
Eligibility Decisions (continued) Simplified • Three main questions • Is there a physical or mental impairment that “substantially” limits one or more life activities? • Is there a record of the impairment? • Is the student regarded as having an impairment (not temporary)?
11
Who decides whether a student is qualified and eligible for services under Section 504? Eligibility and service decisions are made by a group of persons who are knowledgeable: • about the child • about the meaning of the evaluation data • program/placement options • least restrictive environment requirements, and • comparable facilities
12
Eligibility Decisions How do LEAs make those decisions in their districts?
13
Reevaluations Once a student is identified as eligible for 504 services is that student always entitled to such procedural safeguards?
14
Eligibility Decisions How do LEAS conduct reevaluations?
15
Documenting Services “The Louisiana Individual Accommodation Form”
16
Documenting Services • Reasonable Accommodations • Adjustment to tasks, environments or just changing things so that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in an academic program(should be aligned with their disability) • (US Department of Education 2007)
17
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 1
19
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 1
20
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 1
21
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 2
22
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 2
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Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 2
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Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 2
25
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 2
26
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 3
27
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 3
28
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 3
29
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 3
30
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 4
31
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 4
32
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 5
33
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 6
34
Discipline
Implementing Part F of Louisiana’s IAP “Accommodations/Provisions for Behavior Concerns”
35
English Language Learners and Section 504
Parental Involvement Things to Consider
37
Question of the Day Who has the ultimate authority to enforce Section 504?
38
Special Thanks
Dr. Charlie Michel and Local 504 Coordinators for Work on the IAP Form
2
Special Thanks Special thanks to Bridget Bergeron, ST. Martin Aeneid Mason, Zachary for their expertise with this presentation
3
Section 504: General Information • Section 504, which was included in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 passed by Congress, prohibits discrimination against persons with a disability in any program that receives federal financial assistance. It defines a person with a disability as anyone who: • has a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities; • has a record of such an impairment; or • regarded by the school as having an impairment
4
A Complicated Issue • While federally mandated, no funds accompany this legislation • Compliance is not optional. All schools that accept federal funds must be in compliance • The Office of Civil Rights is the enforcement agency
5
Section 504: Definition of Eligibility • Does NOT contain a list of specific disabilities which result in eligibility • Does provide broad list of impairments. Impairments are any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: • • • • • •
Neurological Musculoskeletal Special sense organs Respiratory Speech organs Cardiovascular
• • • • • •
Reproductive Digestive Genitor-urinary Hemic and lymphatic Skin Endocrine 6
Eligibility (continued) • Major life activity • Substantially limits • Expanded definition of students with disabilities
7
What are some “major life activities”? •
Self-care
•
Breathing
•
Manual tasks
•
Interacting with others
•
Walking
•
Working
•
Seeing
•
Reading
•
Speaking
•
Standing
•
Sitting
•
Lifting
•
Thinking
•
Bending
•
Learning
•
Concentrating 8
Substantial Limitation The student is unable to perform a major life activity that the average student of the same age can perform or that the student is significantly restricted as to the condition, manner or duration under which a particular major life activity is performed as compared to the average student of approximately the same age.
9
What information is used in documenting the substantial limitation? • Grades over the past several years • Teachers reports • Information from parents or other agencies • State assessment scores or other school-administered tests • Observations, discipline reports, attendance records • Health/Medical records • Intervention results (including RTI and PBIS)
10
Eligibility Decisions (continued) Simplified • Three main questions • Is there a physical or mental impairment that “substantially” limits one or more life activities? • Is there a record of the impairment? • Is the student regarded as having an impairment (not temporary)?
11
Who decides whether a student is qualified and eligible for services under Section 504? Eligibility and service decisions are made by a group of persons who are knowledgeable: • about the child • about the meaning of the evaluation data • program/placement options • least restrictive environment requirements, and • comparable facilities
12
Eligibility Decisions How do LEAs make those decisions in their districts?
13
Reevaluations Once a student is identified as eligible for 504 services is that student always entitled to such procedural safeguards?
14
Eligibility Decisions How do LEAS conduct reevaluations?
15
Documenting Services “The Louisiana Individual Accommodation Form”
16
Documenting Services • Reasonable Accommodations • Adjustment to tasks, environments or just changing things so that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in an academic program(should be aligned with their disability) • (US Department of Education 2007)
17
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 1
19
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 1
20
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 1
21
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 2
22
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 2
23
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 2
24
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 2
25
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 2
26
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 3
27
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 3
28
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 3
29
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 3
30
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 4
31
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 4
32
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 5
33
Revisions to Louisiana’s IAP – Page 6
34
Discipline
Implementing Part F of Louisiana’s IAP “Accommodations/Provisions for Behavior Concerns”
35
English Language Learners and Section 504
Parental Involvement Things to Consider
37
Question of the Day Who has the ultimate authority to enforce Section 504?
38
