Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a federal nondiscrimination statute that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Specifically, Section 504 states:

     No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity which benefits from federal financial assistance.

     Under Section 504 a person with a disability is anyone who has a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as caring for oneself; performing manual tasks; walking; seeing; hearing; speaking; breathing; learning and working; eating; sleeping; standing; lifting; bending; reading; concentrating; thinking; communicating; and major bodily functions (i.e. immune systems, cell growth, digestive, bowel, or bladder functions). The term “substantially limits” means the person is unable to perform a major life activity or major bodily function that a non-disabled person can do, or the person is more restricted in the performance of a major life activity in comparison to a non-disabled person.

     It is the policy of GCPS to comply with the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in providing a free appropriate public education for students with disabilities who qualify under the definition of the law. No student or other qualified individual shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination in any program or activity, on the basis of disability.

     GCPS has specific responsibilities under Section 504, including the requirement to identify and evaluate students with disabilities. Any student or other disabled individual who is qualified for services under Section 504 will receive appropriate accommodations providing equal access to educational programs, services, and facilities.

     If a parent, guardian, or adult student has a question about parental or student rights under Section 504, contact the district's designated Section 504 representative at 678-301- 7110.