|
|
|
At Wrightslaw, our goals are to help you gain the information and skills you need to navigate the confusing world of special education. In this issue, we look at Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Highlights:
Some states
lowering the bar of expectations; sending special ed kids home early;
child with 504 plan is failing, school won't evaluate; Section 504
accommodations & after school programs; EducationNews; caselaw
about Section 504, discrimination, damages; free pub about transition
for college students; help for college students with disabilities. If you
want to help others learn about special education law and advocacy,
please download the Wrightslaw
flyer and Free
Newsletters Flyer: Together we can make a difference! Many
parents and educators have questions about Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act and 504 Plans. In this issue of The Special
Ed Advocate, we answer questions about protections under
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. 2. Is Your State Lowering the Bar? In the last issue of The Special Ed Advocate, we offered these quotes: "Some
states have lowered the bar of expectations to hide the low performance
of their schools . . . others are discussing how they can ratchet
down their standards to remove schools from their list of low performers." Who made
these statements? Dr. Rod Paige, Secretary of the U. S. Department
of Education! To learn why Dr. Paige made these statements and to
whom, read Lowering
the Bar of Expectations at: 3. Is It Legal to Send Special Ed Kids Home Early? "In my district, special ed kids are sent home from school early - from 30 minutes to an hour earlier than regular Ed students This doesn't seem right. When I asked about it, I was told that 'All special Ed students are released early' and 'That's the rule.'" "Is this legal?" No.
Surprisingly, we receive many questions from parents and teachers
about school districts that have one set of rules for "special
Ed kids" and a different set of rules for everyone else. Read
"Is
It Legal to Send Special Ed Kids Home Early?": 4. Child with 504 Plan is Failing, School Won't Evaluate "My daughter is in 8th grade. She has early onset bipolar disorder. She has a 504 plan. On recent progress reports, she received two C's and two F's. Her doctors say she should qualify for an IEP under the Other Health Impairment" category." "When I asked the school for help, the principal said she had to receive a failing grade on her report card before the school can test her. Until she fails, the principal cannot request testing." "The
school says she must have a discrepancy between ability and achievement
but they will not evaluate her to determine if she has a discrepancy
between ability and achievement." 5. Section 504: Accommodations & After School Programs by Robert Crabtree, Esq. "My 8-year-old son has been kicked out of an after-school program run by a nonprofit agency in his elementary school building. He has ADD and behavioral problems and is on an IEP during his school day. The director of the program said, "He has an oddness and intensity about him that frightens the other children." Don't they have to try to include him?" What do you think? Are after-school programs required to accommodate children with disabilities? Parent attorney Bob Crabtree answers this question and discusses the responsibilities of private programs in providing services to children with disabilities in Section 504: Accommodations & After School Programs at: https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/sec504.afterschool.crabtree.htm 6. EducationNews.org - Subscribe Today! Are you interested in education and special education? Subscribe to EducationNews at http://www.educationnews.org/ Every morning, you will receive an issue of EducationNews with links to news around the world. Nationally recognized experts provide commentaries on various aspects of education. EducationNews.org staff writers cover the latest education issues and bring you a thorough, complete analysis of events, policies, and situations that affect education. EducationNews.org is a remarkable resource! Daily News: http://www.educationnews.org/daily_educationnews.htm Subscribe: mailto:educationnews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com 7. Legal Corner: Section 504, Discrimination, Damages IDEA & Section 504: Yankton v. Schramm In a case involving a high school student with cerebral palsy, the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit discusses eligibility for special education and related services under IDEA, Section 504, and transition plans. Download Yankton v. Schramm: https://www.wrightslaw.com/law/caselaw/case_yankton_IDEA_504_8thCir.html Section 504, ADA, Discrimination & Damages Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. In cases brought on behalf of children with disabilities, several courts of appeals have ruled that parents must first exhaust their administrative remedies under the IDEA before they can bring a damages case under Section 504 and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Learn more about Section 504, ADA and Discrimination at: https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/sec504.index.htm https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/damag.index.htm 8. Free Pub: Section 504 & Transition to College This
publication from the U. S. Department of Education and the Office
of Civil Rights is written for students who plan to continue their
education after high school. This five-page booklet includes answers
to questions about admissions, accommodations & academic adjustments,
documentation, evaluations, and discrimination under Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act.
9. Help for College Students with Disabilities Flyer College-bound
students need to learn self-advocacy skills - how to present information
about their disability and accommodations so professors want to help.
If students master these skills, they are more likely to make a successful
transition from high school to college. https://www.wrightslaw.com/flyers/college.504.pdf 10. Subscription & Contact Info The Special Ed Advocate is a free online newsletter about special education legal and advocacy issues, cases, tactics and strategy, and Internet resources. Subscribers receive announcements and "alerts" about new cases, events, and special offers on Wrightslaw books. Subscribe:
https://www.wrightslaw.com/subscribe.htm Link
to Us Help spread the word about special education advocacy
- download a banner
or image: Wrightslaw
& The Special Ed Advocate |