Section 504 Training for School Staff
Section 504 is a commonly misunderstood, and at times, improperly implemented federal law that impacts our preschool through twelfth grade educational systems. It has been around for nearly 50 years, and although more clarity has been provided through recently-enacted policies and laws and ongoing feedback from the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), aspects of the law and its implementation remain ambiguous for school districts, parents, and students. This can be due to the overarching breadth of the law and a genuine lack of understanding. Nevertheless, districts and school personnel must ensure they are properly implementing Section 504.
The 504 process is intensive and was designed to:
- Ensure all students have access to Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
- The law’s intent is to provide eligible students with accommodations needed to “level the playing field” but not to create advantages for students.
- Schools have a legal, moral and ethical obligation to implement and enforce Section 504 and Central Rivers AEA (CRAEA) is here to help and support you.
In mid-December, at all three regional sites, CRAEA will be offering a training opportunity to help school districts attain the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure all students have access to FAPE. Please join us during one of our three sessions to hone your understanding of the law and work with your team to put theory into action.
If you would like additional information or further insight concerning Section 504 please contact Dr. William Soesbe, 504 Coordinator for CRAEA. He can be reached at wsoesbe@centralriversaea.org or (319)-415-9852.