What Is "Section 504?"
Section 504 refers to a portion of the Rehabilitation Act constructed by federal law in 1973 to protect the rights of citizens who have disabilities. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) began to more pro-actively enforce these anti-discrimination provisions with the 1992 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (known as the ADA), especially as they apply to public schools.
How Does "Section 504" Work?
Section 504 & the ADA attempts to prohibit discrimination against persons with disabilities by providing regulations regarding the evaluation, identification, provision of services, and procedural safeguards that school districts must ultimately use. The procedural manual used by Cloverleaf Local Schools can be accessed via the link to the left.
Section 504 provisions only cover individuals who have a disability that creates a substantial limitation in a major life activity (such as learning, walking, speaking, etc.) or, in certain specific circumstances, an individual who is regarded as having a disability by those around them. Each individual's case must be examined closely to determine whether a substantial limitation does, in fact, exist.
Who Do I Contact About "Section 504" Issues?
In the Cloverleaf Local School District, each building level counselor will be able to address potential Section 504 protections for students. Contacting them via the school numbers or emails will begin the process of identifying whether an educational services plan is warranted.
The district also has a 504 Compliance Officer to coordinate the district's plan and to address possible discrimination issues with adult employees. The District Compliance Officer is Nicole K. Stalter, Director of Special Services. Her office can be reached at 330-302-0316 should you have questions related to Section 504 or the ADA.