504 Plans

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is Congress’s directive to schools receiving any federal funding to eliminate discrimination based on disability from all aspects of school operation. It states:“No otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Since Columbus Community School District is a recipient of federal dollars, we are required to provide eligible disabled students with equal access (both physical and academic) to services, programs, and activities offered by our schools.  Section 504 is a civil rights statute and not a special education statute. Therefore, it is the responsibility of regular education staff and administration to implement those practices and procedures necessary for a school to fulfill this law’s requirements. It is also important to understand that schools receive no additional funding to implement Section 504 accommodations. At each building, the responsibility for insuring Section 504 compliance rests with the building principal or principal’s designee. Please note that when working with disabled students, Section 504 serves the same purpose as ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act).

Section 504 Handbook