Section 504 Of The Rehabilitation Act Of 1973

II. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a legislative civil rights act that protects people with disabilities in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance, including school systems (Jacob et al., 2011). Section 504 forbids schools from three types of discriminations that are prohibited by law. First, public schools are not allowed to exclude students with disabilities from participating in school programs and activities. Second, it requires schools to take appropriate steps to prevent harassment due to a disability. Third, it requires that schools accommodate students with disabilities appropriately to ensure that they receive equal learning opportunities (Jacob et al., 2011). When the act first passed, it was ignored and misunderstood by schools. Nevertheless, in the 1980s the Office for Civil Rights as well as parent advocacies helped increase awareness about Section
However, each school district must have at least one person responsible to coordinate Section 504 efforts and procedures. School districts must also inform all parents that their schools do not discriminate against disabilities. School psychologists thus must be knowledgeable about section 504 and its role in protecting students with physical and mental impairments (Jacob et al., 2011). Section 504 additionally protects students from harassment based on a disability. According to Jacob et al. (2011), the term harassment means “oral, written, graphic, or physical conduct relating to an individual’s disability that is sufficiently severe, pervasive, or persistent so as to interfere or limit the ability of an individual to participate in or benefit from the district’s programs or abilities” (p.129). Public schools have to take appropriate measures to ensure that harassment does not occur, and if it does occur it must be stopped