Section 504 Plans
It is the intent of District 401 to ensure that students who are disabled within the definition of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are identified, evaluated and provided with appropriate educational services.
Students may be disabled within the meaning of Section 504 even though they do not require services pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
A student who does not qualify for an IEP under IDEA may qualify for services under Section 504 if the student has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or has a record of a physical or mental impairment, or is regarded as having a physical or mental impairment.
Inquiries regarding the identification, assessment and placement of children with disabilities should be directed to:
Department for Student Services
Elmwood Park CUSD 401
8201 W. Fullerton Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
Phone: 708-583-5854
Please note that our procedures and practices with regard to students covered by Section 504 are governed by the D401 Board of Education's policy on the education of children with disabilities, which can be found in Section 6:120 of the District Policy Manual.
Referral for a 504 Plan
A student may be referred for a 504 plan when a student is not progressing within the general education environment due to an impairment in a major life activity.
The referral would be to the student's educational team, which may include a general education teacher, special education teacher, social worker, speech-language pathologist, school psychologist, special education coordinator and/or building administrator.
The educational staff will schedule a meeting with the parent/guardian in order to review the referral information, including student data and to determine whether or not an evaluation for a 504 plan is appropriate.
What Is Section 504?
Section 504 is a part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that prohibits discrimination based upon disability. This legislation is an anti-discrimination civil rights statute intended to ensure that persons with disabilities are provided equal access to all programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance, including those found in public schools.
Who Is Covered Under Section 504?
To be covered under Section 504, an individual must:
- Have a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity;
- Have a record of such an impairment; or
- Be regarded as having such an impairment.
An "impairment," as defined in Section 504, may include any disability, long-term illness or other physiological, mental or psychological disorder or condition that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
Major life activities, as defined in the regulation, include functions such as caring for one's self, bending, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, eating, learning, reading, sleeping, concentrating, thinking, standing, communicating, lifting and working.
"Substantially limits" is defined by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) as being determined on a case-by-case basis with respect to each individual student and requires that a group of knowledgeable persons draw upon information from a variety of sources in making this determination.
District 401's Policy on Section 504
As noted above, our procedures and practices with regard to students covered by Section 504 are governed by the D401 Board of Education's policy on the education of children with disabilities, which can be found in Section 6:120 of the District Policy Manual.
To Learn More
For additional information about Section 504, please refer to the Parent and Educator Resource Guide for Section 504 created by the OCR.
As noted above, inquiries regarding the identification, assessment and placement of children with disabilities should be directed to:
Department for Student Services
Elmwood Park CUSD 401
8201 W. Fullerton Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
Phone: 708-583-5854