What is Section 504?

Section 504 is the part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which applies to individuals with disabilities. Section 504 is a civil rights act which protects the civil and constitutional rights of individuals with disabilities.

Section 504 states that no individual with a disability can be excluded from or denied benefits of any program receiving federal financial assistance.

To be protected under Section 504, a student must be determined to:

Have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; have a record of such impairment; or be regarded as having an impairment.

A physical or mental impairment is defined as 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, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genito-urinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.

Major life activities include functions such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working.

This includes eating, sleeping, standing, lifting, bending, reading, concentrating, thinking and communicating, and functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine and reproductive functions.

How are children with disabilities identified?

In Cheyenne Mountain School District any concerns regarding a student begins with the Child Find process. If a parent, teacher or other individual knowledgeable about the child suspects an impairment or disability, a Child Find Evaluation for Section 504 may be requested. Each school has a problem-solving process it enlists in responding to parent concerns. In evaluating a student for eligibility, all determinations are made on the basis of individual inquiry.

Students with impairments or disabilities are eligible for protection against discrimination. A Section 504 Plan is developed for those students who are protected and necessitate an accommodation plan.

What are accommodations?

Accommodations are adjustments made by the classroom teacher(s) and other school staff to help students access the general education curriculum.

For further information, please contact the Office of Student Services @ 719-327-2823.