Section 504
Section 504 Accommodation Plan
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
The law provides:
No otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of their disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. (29 U.S.C. § 794)
Section 504 is based on the principle that students with disabilities must not be denied access to educational facilities, programs, or opportunities on the basis of their disability.
For a student to qualify for Section 504 protection, the student must:
(1) (a) Have a mental or physical impairment, (b) that substantially limits, (c) one or more major life activities (all three of the above criteria must be met for eligibility); or
(2) Have a record of such an impairment; or
(3) Be regarded as having such an impairment.
Contact your child’s school counselor for more information about the 504 Plan process. A listing of school counselors is available on the PSB school counseling directory.
Rights and Protections Under Section 504
Section 504 protects qualified individuals from discrimination based on disability. It ensures equal access to programs, services, and benefits provided by organizations receiving federal funding.
Individuals with disabilities are defined as those who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This also includes individuals with a history of such an impairment or those regarded as having one.
Information on how to file a discrimination complaint is available in the Section 504 Grievance Procedure (see below) or by contacting:
Matthew DuBois, Ph.D., NCSP
Senior Director of Clinical Services and Social-Emotional Learning
Email: matthew_dubois@psbma.org
Phone: 617-730-2433