Section 504 - Child Find, Eligibility and Accommodation Plans
Lynchburg City Schools are committed to providing full educational opportunity to all qualified handicapped students under Section 504. A wide variety of accommodations, modifications, and services are available to children with special needs. These services are provided in the least restrictive environment and at no cost to the parents. Alternative education programs are developed to meet the specific needs of each eligible child to provide a free, appropriate public education.
Referrals are accepted from any source either within or outside the school division. A committee composed of professionals in the school division will screen all referrals to determine whether evaluation is needed. If so, the referral process will begin and testing will follow shortly.
To be found eligible for services under Section 504, children must be assessed. The assessment report shall include the child’s educational performance including instructional strengths and weaknesses. This report will also include a summary of standardized test data, attendance information and samples of classroom performance. Other information such as: medicals, psychologicals, speech/language, PT/OT, audiological, developmentals, vision reports, etc., should be utilized where appropriate and/or necessary. All of these are provided by the school division at no cost to the parent. After these have been completed, a committee will meet to determine whether the student is eligible for accommodations and/or modifications. If so, an accommodation plan will be developed with the parents help.
Definitions
- To be protected under Section 504, a student must be determined to:
- have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; or
- have a record of such an impairment; or
- be regarded as having such an impairment.
Appropriate education under 504 is the provision of education designed to meet the individual educational needs of handicapped persons as adequately as the needs of non-handicapped persons are met.
Major life activity for the purpose of this document is to be defined as public education.
Substantially Limits is defined as those conditions, situations, or impairments that adversely affect educational performance that require modification or accommodation to the regular environment or program.
Many different types of accommodations, modifications and services are available throughout the school division. They include, but are not limited to, modification of curricular content, adaptive equipment, accommodations for accessibility and related services as speech/language therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy services. Each program is designed to meet the student’s specific needs as identified in his accommodation plan. Each student’s progress is reviewed annually by school staff and the student’s parents.
If you suspect a child has a disability that requires intervention under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, please do not hesitate to contact the Principal of your School.
Click here for more information from the Virginia Department of Education
Dr. Janenne Daniels-Bosher
Director for Special Education
Lynchburg City Schools
915 Court Street
P.O.Box 2497
Lynchburg, Va. 24505-2497
(434) 515-5027
[email protected]