A. A 504 plan is a legal document falling under the provisions of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It is designed to plan a program of instructional services to assist students with special needs who are in a regular education setting. A 504 plan is not an Individualized Education Program (IEP) as is required for special education students. However, a student moving from a special education to a regular education placement could be placed under a 504 plan.
A. A student with a physical or emotional disability, or who is recovering from a chemical dependency, or who has an impairment (i.e. Attention Deficit Disorder) that restricts one or more major life activities.
A. Major life activities include caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, working, and learning.
A. There are essentially four steps:
A. The student, parent/legal guardian, teachers, principals, Pupil Services administrators, support staff (i.e. nurse, counselor, psychologist, language/speech pathologist) as well as the student's physician or therapist may be involved in the placement process including the 504 meeting
A. If you have a concern regarding a child's performance and/or behavior that you believe is caused by a disabling condition, you should initiate a referral after consultation with support staff and/or building administrators.
Also, you should participate in any meetings where a 504 plan may be developed. Further, you should be ready to supply pertinent data and documentation such as test scores, discipline referrals, and anecdotal information to assist in the writing of the plan.
A. Attached is a sample list of accommodations taken from the Pupil Services
Handbook. Additional examples are presented below:
A child's seat assignment accommodates a disability.
A diabetic child may be permitted to eat in the classroom.
A child may be permitted to go to the office for the administration of medication.
A student's assignments or testing conditions may be adjusted (i.e. extensions of
time, modification of test questions).
Note: This is a team process where all members of the team, not just the teacher,
may have responsibilities in fulfilling the requirements of the 504 plan.
A. If you disagree with the 504 plan you can:
Express your views at the meeting and suggest alternatives.
Refuse to sign the plan.
Contact your building steward if you believe the plan alters your terms and
conditions of employment.
A. You are expected to reasonably follow the strategies written to implement the plan and to participate in the review process.
Again, if the plan isn't working for the student, ask in writing for the assistance of support staff (counselors, nurses, psychologists, etc.). Also, some degree of accountability rests with the parents/legal guardians in following through. Do not accept the burden alone. Again, keep copies of all pertinent documents.
A. Yes. We will advise and support. Ultimately, the union office will pursue the matter if students are not being well-served or if violations of contract occur. If you have a problem, the initial contact should be through the union steward who will follow up with the building principal and appropriate staff.