Section 504 Policies & Procedures

Auburn Public Schools

Section 504

Policies & Procedures

The Auburn Public Schools has adopted the following policies and procedures related to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to prohibit discrimination based on disability in programs or activities affiliated with the school district.

A.     Free & Appropriate Public Education:

1.      The Auburn Public Schools shall provide a free and appropriate public education to students with disabilities based on their individualized educational needs.  These services may include special education and related services such as physical therapy, as well as modifications to the regular education program including adjustments in test taking procedures and adjustments to rules regarding absences when a student’s absences are due to a disability.

B.     Evaluation of Students Requesting Services Under Section 504:

1. Students shall be individually evaluated before classifying as having a disability.
2. Assessments shall be selected and administered by individuals qualified to administer and interpret the assessments to best ensure that the test results accurately reflect the student’s aptitude or achievement or other factor(s) being measured rather than reflect the student’s disability, except where those are the factors being measured.
3. Tests and other evaluation materials include those tailored to evaluate the specific areas of educational need and not merely those designed to provide a single intelligence quotient.
4. Tests and other evaluation materials shall be validated for the specific purpose for which they are used and appropriately administered by trained individuals.

C.     Disability & Eligibility Determination:

1. A multidisciplinary team, including the parent and/or student if age appropriate, shall determine if the student has a disability.
2. The multidisciplinary team shall include person(s) knowledgeable about the student, interpretation of the assessment data, and the placement options.
3. The team shall not rely on presumptions and stereotypes regarding persons with disabilities or classes of such persons.
4. Impairment in and of itself does not qualify a student for protection under Section 504.  The impairment must substantially limit one or more major life activities in order to qualify a student for protection under Section 504.
5. A medical diagnosis of an illness does not automatically qualify a student for services under Section 504.  A medical diagnosis may be considered among other sources in evaluating a student with a disability or believed to have a disability, which substantially limits a major life activity. 
6. The results of an outside independent evaluation may be one of many sources to consider.
7. Periodic reevaluation shall be conducted.  Reevaluations shall be conducted at least once every three years, or sooner, if necessary.

D.     Placement Determination:

1. A team that includes people who know the student and understand the meaning of the evaluation information must make placement decisions.
2. The placement team must consider a variety of documented information for each student.
3. The information must come from several sources, including the results of aptitude and achievement tests, teacher recommendations, reports on the student’s physical condition, social or cultural background, and adaptive behavior.
4. Regular education teachers must implement the provisions of Section 504 plans when those plans govern the teachers’ treatment of students for whom they are responsible.
5. The disabled student must be educated alongside non-disabled students to the maximum appropriate to the needs of the disabled student.
6. Students may not be excluded on the basis of disability from participating in extracurricular activities and nonacademic activities
7. Counselors must not advise qualified disabled students to make educational choices that lead to more restrictive career objectives than would be suggested for non-disabled students with similar interest and abilities.
8. The placement team must be aware of different options for placing the student so that the student is placed appropriately.

E.      Procedural Safeguards:

1. Parental permission shall be obtained, in writing, before the district begins an initial evaluation of a student.
2. Parent(s) shall be provided with written notification of their procedural rights under Section 504.