Section 504 at AHS
Section 504 Policy and Practices at Albemarle High School
Section 504 of the of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (and its revisions according to the ADA Amendments Act of 2008) is anti-discrimination legislation related to equal access to educational opportunity; that is, a reasonable opportunity to participate in the school’s/district’s educational and extracurricular programs.
The purpose of Section 504 policy and related procedures in Albemarle County Public School is to meet the needs of disabled students as adequately as the needs of non-disabled are met.
Eligibility for a Section 504 Plan for Accommodations:
A student with a documented disability may or may not require a ‘504’ plan for school-based accommodations. A student that has a medical condition that does not substantially limit a major life activity does not necessarily present grounds for referral and evaluation.
A student is found to be eligible under Section 504 for a '504' plan if he/she has a documented disability and it is determined that he/she would be denied access to the same educational opportunity as the “typical” student in the school due to that disability if accommodations were not provided.
More specifically, it is only when a qualified child with a disability needs a systematic, consistently implemented battery of modifications in order to have his needs met as adequately as non-disabled children that a ‘504’ plan becomes necessary.
The fact that a student may not be performing up to his or her potential is not sufficient reason alone for referral for a ‘504’ plan, assuming the student is receiving appropriate educational benefit from their current program.
Students who require modifications that would be available to all students in the general education environment would not necessarily require section 504 services.
All students referred for Section 504 eligibility will be deemed ineligible to receive a formalized Section 504 plan if there is no record of a mental of physical impairment or, in the case that a record of such an impairment exists, there is no evidence to substantiate the substantial limitation of a major life activity in the school setting. Students who are found not to be eligible for a formalized Section 504 plan are still recognized to have a disability and will be protected from discrimination in the school setting.
Section 504 Evaluation Procedures:
When a referral for a Section 504 evaluation is received, the referral will be reviewed by the School-Based Intervention Team (SBIT) to determine appropriate next steps. The SBIT team may determine that a referral for formal evaluation for eligibility under Section 504 is appropriate.
If a formal evaluation is deemed appropriate, the Section 504 Coordinator will initiate the formal evaluation process. This process focuses upon identifying and describing the student's record of impairment as well as verifying the student's substantial limitation as a result of their disability. The review will include consideration of all relevant information available to the team, including but not limited to:
- The student's academic records
- The student's report cards
- State assessment results
- Structured Observations
- Psychological evaluations
- Norm-referenced educational assessments
- Curriculum-based Assessments
- Structured academic and/or behavioral interventions and results of progress-monitoring
- The student's social and health history
- Information provided by the parent(s)
The purpose of evaluation materials is to demonstrate that the student's academic and/or behavioral performance is less than that of the average non-disabled student in the general population.
If, after completing the formal evaluation, the 504 Committee determines that the student requires a ‘504’ plan, the plan will be developed with input from the student, the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s), and the student’s instructional team.
All students referred for Section 504 eligibility will be deemed ineligible to receive a formalized Section 504 plan if there is no record of a mental of physical impairment or, in the case that a record of such an impairment exists, there is no evidence to substantiate the substantial limitation of a major life activity in the school setting. Students who are found not to be eligible for a formalized Section 504 plan are still recognized to have a disability and will be protected from discrimination in the school setting.
Although we strive to evaluate students’ eligibility and establish ‘504’ plans as quickly as possible, please be aware that the evaluation process may take up to 65 business days to complete.
PLEASE NOTE: A student with a '504' plan developed and implemented by a local education agency (e.g. their high school) is not necessarily entitled to testing accommodations on national standardized examinations such as the PSATs, SATs, or ACTs. The application process for such examinations has no relation to the Section 504 evaluation process at AHS. If you are seeking accommodations for any such examination, please contact your student's school counselor for further information regarding the application process.
If you have further questions or concerns regarding the Section 504-related policies and procedures at Albemarle High School, please contact the AHS Student Services Team at 434-974-4321.