Section 504 Process Checklist

“School Initiated”

NOTE: Section 504 forms are available on the Special Services Department

“internal” website – access through Inside Parkway “Resources.”

____ Information about a student is sufficient to warrant consideration of a disability. Such information

might include, but is not limited to:

  • student educational performance
  • behavior at school
  • physical/medical symptoms
  • parent/guardian’s (or majority age student’s) report/concerns
  • third party information/documentation,

NOTE: EVIDENCE of a MENTAL OR PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT MUST be present for a

student to beconsidered for (i.e., suspected of having) a disability under Section 504.

____ Request and COLLECT all relevant documentation, data, and other information needed to address

the suspected disability. These might include:

  • Parent Contact Form
  • Teacher Information Form(s)
  • standardized assessment data
  • work samples
  • previous public school evaluations
  • evaluations/reports from private professionals
  • documentation of the diagnosed impairment(s)
  • other checklists and documentation applicable to the area(s) of concern

NOTE: This step may require signed releases from the parent/guardian (or majority age student)

andneed to be repeated at various times during the “identification” process.

NOTE: If student is majority age and living with parent/guardian, include parent/guardian with all

communication.

____ A “multidisciplinary” school team (i.e., Care Team) REVIEWS all relevant information,

documentation, and data about the student, his/her impairment, and any major life activity/activities that may be adversely affected/substantially limited.

____ A “multidisciplinary’ school team (i.e., Care Team)DETERMINESwhether the student is

SUSPECTED of having a disability under Section 504.

IF SUSPECTED of having a disability, determine whether to referfor an evaluation to determine eligibilityNOW or whether more information is needed before making a final decision.

The“Section 504 Referral/Evaluation Review” processmust conclude with one of three decisions*:

An evaluation to determine eligibility under Section 504will be conducted.

NOTE: The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) REQUIRES an evaluation PRIOR to determining a

student hasa disabilityunder Section 504 (a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits a major life activity).

No disability is suspected and no Section 504 evaluation will be conducted.

More information is needed before a final determination can be made regarding the need for a Section 504 evaluation. When sufficient information is available, a determination will be made and you will be notified of any decisions made. In the interim, the student will be considered to have a SUSPECTED disability and be provided with appropriate protections, supports, and/or interventions under Section 504.

* The fourth option on the form ONLY applies to PARENT REQUESTS for Section504 evaluation.

Section 504 Process Checklist

“School Initiated” (cont.)

NOTE: If the teamsuspects the student has a disability under the Individual’s with Disabilities

Education Improvement Act (IDEA), the school’s Care Team should consider a special education referral/evaluation; aSpecialSchool District representative must participate in such determinations. The parent/guardian (or majority age student)shall be notified of the decision by Special School District using the “Joint Review Letter” and provided with the procedural safeguards under both laws.To be eligible under the IDEA, a student must meet the categorical criteria for an educational disability AND need special education services in order to access and benefit from their education.

____ Complete and send Parkway’s “Section 504 Referral/Evaluation Review” form to the

parent/guardian(or majority age student). When sending this document, include:

Parkway’s Section 504 “Parent/Student Rights Regarding Identification, Evaluation, And Placement”

“Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973” handout

“Authorization For Release of Information” form (#287) to ensure all private documentation is obtainedand considered (IF NEEDED/APPLICABLE)

____ Place a copy of the “Section 504 Referral/Evaluation Review” form in the student’s education record.

____ Notify all appropriate staff of the decision so they know the student’s status.

___ school counselor

___ school administrators

___ registrar- documents the student’s status on the District’s student information system

(Infinite Campus)

___ school nurse

___ student’s teachers

___ other(s) ______

WHENA STUDENT IS SUSPECTED OF HAVING

A DISABILITY UNDER SECTION 504

____ Identify/notify a staff member to serve as the “interim” case manager.

____ Plan, document, and provide appropriate and neededsupports/interventions and accommodations

during the interimand until final determinations are made.

NOTE: An “Interim Suspected Disability Plan” form can be used if an intervention/support plan is

NOT already developed and in place through another process (i.e., Care Team).

____ If more information WAS needed before making a final determination, decide if the student should

continue to remain SUSPECTED of having a disability. If the student continues to be SUSPECTED of having a disability, determineif an evaluation is warranted under Section 504 (or IDEA) NOW or if more information or other actions continue to be needed.

If the team determines an evaluation is warrantedunder Section 504,submit the referral documentation to Parkway’s Special Services Department to begin the evaluation process and retain copies in the student’s education record.

If the team determines there is insufficient justification to maintain the suspected disability, place all relevant documentation in the student’s education record.

Section 504 Process Checklist

“School Initiated” (cont.)

If the team determines the student remains SUSPECTED of having a disability, but more information or interventions/supports continue to be needed BEFORE an evaluation is initiated, no change is needed regarding documentation in the student record or the student information system.

___ NOTIFY the parent/guardian (or majority age student) of the decision. If referring for evaluation or

dropping the suspected disability, use the “Section 504 Referral/Evaluation Review” form and provide the appropriate procedural safeguards.

____ Notify all appropriate staff of the decision so they know the student’s status.

___ school counselor

___ school administrators

___ registrar- documents the student’s status on the District’s student information system

(Infinite Campus)

___ school nurse

___ student’s teachers

___ other(s) ______

WHEN A STUDENT WILL BE EVALUATED UNDER SECTION 504

____ Submit a referral packet (available on website) to the Parkway Special Services Department.

NOTE: Parkway’s Special Services Department and/or Health Services Department shall participate in ALLSection 504 evaluations, including those that MAYbe “expedited.”

____ A Special Services Department staff member will contact the school (i.e., case manager) to review the

referral information, coordinate the evaluation, and participate in the eligibility determination.

Special Services staff will coordinate the evaluation and ensure that:

  • consent for evaluation is obtained from the parent/guardian (or majority age student) once an evaluation “plan” is developed

NOTE: Consent for evaluation is REQUIRED PRIOR to any evaluation to determine

eligibility.IF CONSENT IS REFUSED, document the refusal in the student’s education recordand code the student as “non-disabled” on the District student information system. A “refusal to consent to evaluation” letter should be sent to document the refusal.

  • appropriate “releases” and additional third party information are obtained when needed
  • a multidisciplinary team, which should include the parent/guardian and student (if appropriate),meets, reviews the evaluation information, and determines if the student meets criteria for eligibility under Section 504.

NOTE: Evaluation MAY include: direct assessment (i.e., testing, self-report scales) of the student,

rating scales completed by staff and/or parent/guardian, collection and consideration of school/classroom documentation, collection and consideration of “third party” documentation, and/or other activities. Evaluation may address the student’s impairment, limitation(s), and/or need for intervention/supports and/or accommodations.

Section 504 Process Checklist

“School Initiated” (cont.)

WHENA STUDENT IS ELIGIBLE UNDER SECTION 504

____A multidisciplinary team determines what, if any, accommodations (i.e., interventions, supports,

modifications, adaptations) are needed to provide the student with a free appropriate public education (FAPE). The student must be able to access and benefit from the general education program to an extent comparable to that of his/her (average) peers.

When a student is eligible under Section 504, several scenarios/situations are possible:

The student is CURRENTLY accessing and benefiting with the “universal” instruction, natural supports, and standard services available/provided to all students. For example, the student has “mitigating measures” (i.e., medication, hearing aid) in place that are effectively eliminating the substantial limitation(s) and need for accommodations ORthe impairment is currently in remission/not active (i.e., episodic).

  • A Section 504 plan is NOT NEEDED, BUTthe appropriate documentation is needed on the “determination” (eligibility) form.
  • The school must respond and develop an appropriateSection 504 plan if the student’s status changes and there is a need for accommodations because of the impairment(s).

The student REQUIRES additional supports, interventions and/or a specialized health care planin order to access and benefit from the general education program, BUT these are NOT significantly different from what students without disabilitiesmay receive.

  • A separate, individualized Section 504 plan is OPTIONAL, but the specific supports/interventions and/or health care plan MUST BE DOCUMENTED in the student’s education and/or health recordand noted on the “determination” (”eligibility”) form.
  • The student’s needs and school’s responsibilities must be communicated to appropriate staff.
  • The school must respond and develop an appropriate plan if there is a need for individualized accommodations because of the impairment(s).

The student REQUIRES individually planned and implemented accommodations (i.e., modifications, adaptations, services, supports)in order to have access to and benefit from the general education program.

  • A separate Section 504 plan MUST BE DEVELOPED with individualized accommodations to document what is needed to address the impact of the impairment(s) and provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE).
  • The student’s needs and school’s responsibilities must be communicated to appropriate staff.

____ Notify all appropriate staffon a need to know basis, of the student’s status and, when applicable, the

accommodations, supports, interventions, and/or health care plan to be provided.

___ school counselor

___ school administrators

___ registrar - documents decision on the District’s student information system (Infinite Campus)

___ school nurse

___ student’s teachers

___ other(s) ______

____ Annually review an eligible student’s needs and status. When appropriate, initiate team meetings to

review/revise the plan and/or reevaluate the student.

NOTE: Copies of CURRENT Section 504 documents are kept in the student’s cumulative folder.

Older/expired Section 504 documentation should be kept in the student’s Class 2 file.

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