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IDEA & Section 504:
Guidelines for Students
at the Borders
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Overview
• IDEA and Section 504 compared
• Moving between Section 504 and the
IDEA
• Students at the Borders: SLD, ADD,
Physical Disabilities
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
Eligibility
FAPE
Process &
Documents
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
Eligibility Under IDEA
Two questions:
• Does the student have a disability in
an IDEA eligibility category?
• Does the student require special
education and related services?
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
Eligibility Under Section 504
Two questions:
• Does the student have a physical or
mental impairment?
• Does the impairment substantially
limit a major life activity?
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
IDEA vs. Section 504
Eligibility Under Section 504
Physical or Mental Impairment:
“Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic
disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or
more of the following body systems: neurological;
musculoskeletal; specific sense organs;
respiratory, including speech organs;
cardiovascular; reproductive, digestive, genitorurinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and
endocrine; or any mental or psychological
disorder, such as mental retardation, organic
brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and
specific learning disabilities.”
34 C.F.R. § 104.3(i).
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
IDEA vs. Section 504
Eligibility Under Section 504
• If complete medical evaluation is
necessary to determine eligibility, parent
may be asked to obtain and fund
evaluation
• If parent refuses, district must fund
evaluation
Compton (CA) Unified School District (OCR 2008)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
IDEA vs. Section 504
Eligibility Under Section 504
Substantially Limits: New definition
– Rejection of court’s
“severely restricts”
– “Substantially limits” to be construed
broadly
Pub.L. No. 110-325 (September 25, 2008) 122 Stat. 3553;
29 U.S.C. § 705; 42 U.S.C. § 1210
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
IDEA vs. Section 504
Eligibility Under Section 504
Episodic Disabilities and Remission:
Ask: Would impairment substantially limit
a life activity when active?
Pub.L. No. 110-325 (September 25, 2008) 122 Stat. 3553; 42 U.S.C. § 1210
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
IDEA vs. Section 504
Eligibility Under Section 504
Mitigating Measures:
• Cannot consider ameliorative effects of
mitigating measures (i.e. medication,
hearing aids, learned behaviors,
modifications)
• EXCEPT eye glasses and contact
lenses
Pub.L. No. 110-325 (September 25, 2008)122 Stat. 3553; 42 U.S.C. § 1210
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Practice Pointer
Until districts receive further guidance:
– If student would be eligible when
impairment is active, make the student
eligible
– Create a plan to address student’s needs
when the impairment is active
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
IDEA vs. Section 504
Eligibility Under Section 504
Major Life Activities:
• Under the new law, major life activities
include (but are not limited to)
– Caring for oneself, performing manual tasks,
seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking,
standing, lifting, speaking, reading, learning,
concentrating, thinking, communicating and
working
• Under the regulations previously developed
major life activities included “learning”
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Practice Pointer
• When determining eligibility under
Section 504, determine whether any
major life activity is substantially limited
• Do not limit consideration to “learning”
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Practice Pointer
The following behaviors are not
themselves a physical or mental
impairment:
– Lack of motivation
– Excessive absences
– Early dismissal
– Inadequate classroom
attendance
– Difficulties at home
– Incomplete work
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Practice Pointer
Be methodical and document your method!
Always ask two questions when determining
Section 504 eligibility:
1) Does the student have a physical or mental
impairment?
2) Does that impairment substantially limit a major
life activity?
Don’t forget to properly document the responses!
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
FAPE
IDEA:
– Specially-designed instruction
– No cost to parent
– Meet unique needs of student
– Educated in least restrictive
environment
20 U.S.C. §§ 1402(29), 1412(a)(5);
Board of Educ. of the Hendrick Hudson Central School Dist. v.
Rowley (1982) 458 U.S. 176, 200
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
FAPE
Section 504:
– Regular or special education and related
aids and services designed to “meet
individual educational needs of
handicapped persons as adequately as
the needs of non-handicapped persons.”
– Educated in the least restrictive
environment
34 C.F.R. §§ 104.33, 104.34; J.D. v. Pawlet School Dist. (2nd Cir. 2000)
224 F.3d 60; 34 C.F.R. Part 104, Appendix A. (Emphasis added)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
FAPE
• FAPE requirements in IDEA and Section
504 regulations are different
• Section 504 requires comparison between
meeting needs of disabled and
nondisabled students
• IDEA has an absolute standard – providing
some educational benefit
Mark H. v. Lemahieu (9th Cir. 2008) 513 F.3d 922
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
Process & Documents
IDEA: Notice of Procedural Rights
District must provide notice of rights:
– Upon initial referral or evaluation
– When a complaint is filed
– When disciplinary action taken
– At parent request
34 C.F.R. §§ 300.500 et seq.
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
Process & Documents
IDEA: Evaluation
• Evaluate in all areas of suspected
disability
• Adhere to strict timelines
• Use a variety of assessment tools
• Evaluations by trained and knowledgeable
persons
20 U.S.C. § 1414(b); 34 C.F.R. § 300.304
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
Process & Documents
IDEA: IEP Team
• Team makes eligibility, placement, and service
determinations
• Required members:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Parent
General education teacher
Special education teacher
Administrator
Individuals who can interpret assessment results
Other individuals with knowledge or special expertise
regarding child
– When appropriate, the student
20 U.S.C. § 1414(d)(1)(B)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
Process & Documents
IDEA: Appropriate Document – IEP
• Every eligible student must have an IEP
• Contents of the IEP:
– Eligibility
– Educational needs
– Present levels of performance
– Goals/objectives
– District’s offer of FAPE
20 U.S.C. § 1414(d)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
Process & Documents
Section 504 Required Procedures:
• Notice
• Opportunity to examine records
• Impartial hearing with opportunity for
parent to be represented by counsel
• Review procedure
34 C.F.R. §§ 104.33, 104.34, 104.35, 104.36
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
Process & Documents
Note:
• Typically, OCR does not investigate
substance of educational decisions
• Focus is on whether district followed
proper procedures
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
Process & Documents
Section 504: Evaluation
• School district must develop standards and
procedures to ensure that assessment materials are:
– Validated
– Administered by trained personnel
• to reflect student’s ability – not impaired skill
– Designed to assess specific areas of educational
need
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
IDEA vs. Section 504
Process & Documents
• When conducting evaluation, school district
must:
– Draw upon variety of sources
– Create procedures to ensure information is
documented and considered
– Ensure each placement decision is made
by the appropriate team
34 C.F.R. § 104.35; Gloucester County (VA) Public Schools (OCR 2007)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
Process & Documents
Section 504: Decision Team
• Eligibility and placement decisions
made by “a group of persons, including
persons knowledgeable about the
child.”
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
IDEA vs. Section 504
Process & Documents
• District must designate a
“Section 504 Coordinator”
Colorado Springs (CO) School Dist. #11 (OCR 2008)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
IDEA vs. Section 504
Process & Documents
Section 504: Appropriate Document
• Districts most commonly develop a
Section 504 plan
• May develop an IEP to comply with
Section 504’s FAPE requirement
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Practice Pointer
• A Section 504 plan is not a
“consolation prize”
• Emphasize appropriateness and benefits
of Section 504 plan
• IDEA services may not be appropriate
• IDEA compliance is one way of meeting
section 504
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
What should a district do when a
student’s Section 504 plan is no longer
appropriate?
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
Consider:
– Re-evaluating student
– Modifying the Section 504 placement
and/or services, or
– Convening IEP team meeting to
determine IDEA eligibility
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
CAUTION
Under Section 504, districts must
evaluate prior to initial placement or
significant change in placement
– Error on side of evaluation if moving
student into a more or less restrictive
setting
20 U.S.C. § 1414; 34 C.F.R. § 104.35
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
Parent Rejects Section 504 Plan
Scenario:
– District offers Section 504 plan
– Parent rejects
– Parent requests IEP
What should you do?
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
• Implement Section 504 plan without
parent consent, if district’s policy
allows, and
• Conduct IDEA evaluation, if this is
what parent wants
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Practice Pointer
Determine parent’s underlying concern
– Is parent requesting IEP or a special
education assessment?
– Discussion with parent may resolve
concerns and avoid assessment process
20 U.S.C. § 1414
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
From IDEA to 504 scenarios:
– Student no longer eligible under IDEA
– Student found ineligible under IDEA
– Parent revokes consent for IDEA
services
*Be prepared for parent request for Section
504 services
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
If an IEP team finds a student ineligible
under the IDEA, can the same team
immediately thereafter find the student
eligible for Section 504 services?
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
YES • So long as student has a mental or physical
impairment that substantially limits a major
life activity
• Conducting consecutive IEP and Section 504
meetings is okay
HOWEVER . . .
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
CAUTION:
• It’s better to adjourn IEP meeting and convene
Section 504 meeting at later date
• This will avoid:
– Perception of “consolation prize”
– Potential for excluding necessary persons
– Risk of undertaking wrong analysis to determine
eligibility
– Failure to properly notice Section 504 meeting
Letter to Anonymous (OCR 1991)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
Rejection of IDEA:
• Parent not required to accept initial
IDEA services
• Parent may revoke prior consent
• If parent revokes, district may not
continue to provide special education
and related services
34 C.F.R. § 300.300(b)(4).
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
If the district offers a FAPE through the
IDEA and the student’s parent refuses
to consent to the initial provision of
IDEA services or revoke consent to
IDEA services, is the district required to
create a Section 504 plan?
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
Satisfy the IDEA
• Districts are responsible for:
– Creation of appropriate IEP
• Districts are not responsible for:
– Obtaining parent consent to the IEP
MAKE THE OFFER
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
Section 504 Plan?
• Probably not required, if parent has
rejected IEP
• But certainly permissible
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Moving Between
Section 504 and the IDEA
Child Find
District must:
– Actively seek out students eligible for
Section 504 services, including those
attending private schools
– Conduct Section 504 evaluation,
if appropriate
34 C.F.R. §§ 104.31; 104.35(a)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Borders
SLD, ADD/ADHD, Physical Disabilities
IDEA? Section 504? Or General Ed?
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Border
SLD: IDEA Eligibility
Student has:
– A “disorder in one or more of the basic
psychological processes involved in the
understanding or in using language, spoken or
written.”
– Manifests in an “imperfect ability to listen, think,
speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical
calculations.”
Student requires special education and
related services
20 U.S.C. § 1401(30)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Practice Pointer
Reading Fluency
• The 2006 federal regulations added
reading fluency skills to list of qualifying
areas for eligibility determinations
• If district uses either RTI or discrepancy
model, district must determine whether
student is performing adequately for
age/grade level in all qualifying areas,
including reading fluency skills
34 C.F.R. § 300.309
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Border
SLD: Section 504 Eligibility
Two Part Analysis:
• Physical or mental impairment
– Comments to Section 504 Regulations
state that SLD constitutes a physical or
mental impairment
• Must substantially limit a major life
activity
20 U.S.C. § 1401(30); 34 C.F.R. Part 104, Appendix A
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Practice Pointer
A student may not qualify under
Section 504 if he/she is successful in
the general education setting without
special education supports, despite
demonstrating a discrepancy
between ability and performance
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Border
SLD: Section 504 Eligibility
Facts - Fourth grade:
• SST team referred student for comprehensive
special education assessment
• IQ score of 92
• Achievement scores ranged from 85 to 110
• Assessor concluded no severe discrepancy
between ability and achievement
• District found student ineligible for IDEA
services
Student v. Tracy Joint Unified School District (OAH 2007)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
Students at the Border
SLD: Section 504 Eligibility
Facts - Fifth grade:
• GPA ranged from 2.0 to 2.5
• District found student ineligible for IDEA
services
• Parent disagrees
• Obtained IEE that concluded student qualified
as SLD due to processing disorders and a
severe discrepancy in math calculations
Student v. Tracy Joint Unified School District (OAH 2007)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
Students at the Border
SLD: Section 504 Eligibility
OAH Ruling:
No severe discrepancy based on private
and district assessments
Student ineligible for IDEA services
under category of SLD
Student v. Tracy Joint Unified School District (OAH 2007)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
Students at the Border
SLD: Section 504 Eligibility
Eligible under Section 504?
Probably not. Unlikely that there is a
physical or mental impairment
– Earned average grades
– Failed to show discrepancy between ability and
performance
Student v. Tracy Joint Unified School District (OAH 2007)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Border
SLD: Section 504 Eligibility
Facts:
• Student originally eligible as SLD
• Convened IEP meeting to review additional
assessments
• Student skills commensurate with overall
cognitive functioning
• Received passing grades
• Team concluded no severe discrepancy or
processing deficiency
• Ineligible under category of SLD
Lancaster School District v. Student (OAH 2007)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
Students at the Border
SLD: Section 504 Eligibility
OAH Ruling:
Ineligible for IDEA services under
eligibility category of SLD
Lancaster School District v. Student (OAH 2007)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
Students at the Border
SLD: Section 504 Eligibility
Eligible under Section 504?
Probably not. Unlikely that there is a
physical or mental impairment
– Earned average grades
– Failed to show discrepancy between ability and
performance
Lancaster School District v. Student (OAH 2007)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Border
ADD/ADHD: IDEA Eligibility
• Student qualifies for IDEA services under
“Other Health Impaired” if he/she has:
– Limited strength, vitality or alertness, including a heightened
alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited
alertness with respect to the educational environment, that is
due to chronic or acute health problems, such as attention
deficit disorder, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
among others, which adversely affects a student’s
educational performance
• Student requires special education and
related services
20 U.S.C. § 1401(3); 34 C.F.R. § 300.8(c)(9)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Border
ADD/ADHD: Section 504 Eligibility
Two Part Analysis:
• Physical or mental impairment
– According to OSERS, ADD and
ADHD constitute a physical or mental
impairment
• Must substantially limit a major life
activity
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS 1991)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Border
ADD/ADHD: Section 504 Eligibility
Facts:
• In March 2006, parents requested special education
assessment due to possible ADD or ADHD
• Health assessment did not show impulsive behavior
• In class, student showed lack of concentration
• Student performed at average academic level
• In July 2006, student obtained medical diagnosis of
ADHD
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (OAH 2006)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Border
ADD/ADHD: Section 504 Eligibility
OAH Ruling:
Student had ADHD based on medical
diagnosis
However, student ineligible under IDEA
because condition did not “adversely
affect educational performance”
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (OAH 2006)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
Students at the Border
ADD/ADHD: Section 504 Eligibility
Eligible under Section 504?
Probably not.
• Due to medical diagnosis, OSERS would
consider student to have physical or mental
impairment
• However, no showing of substantial limitation
of a major life activity
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Border
ADD/ADHD: Section 504 Eligibility
Facts:
• Second grade
–
–
–
–
Diagnosed with ADHD
Participated in general education setting
Assessed for and placed in GATE program
Scored average or above on standardized and
ability tests
• Fourth grade
– Earned As, Bs, and Cs
Student v. Bonita Unified School District (OAH 2006)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
Students at the Border
ADD/ADHD: Section 504 Eligibility
Facts:
• Fifth grade
– Scored “basic” and “proficient” on STAR testing
– Earned all As and Bs
– Promoted to middle school
• Sixth grade
– Scored “basic” and “proficient” on STAR testing
– Earned a C in English and a D in Social Studies
• Seventh grade
– Scored “proficient” in STAR testing
– Earned all Cs
– Parents advised district of ADHD and anxiety disorder
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
cont.
Students at the Border
ADD/ADHD: Section 504 Eligibility
OAH Ruling:
Despite ADHD diagnosis, student
ineligible under IDEA
Failed to show need for special
education and related services
Poor grades were attributed to failure
to complete homework, not inability to
learn
Student v. Bonita Unified School District (OAH 2006)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Border
ADD/ADHD: Section 504 Eligibility
Eligible under Section 504?
Possibly.
• Student has a physical or mental
impairment
• Student may be able to show that the
ADHD substantially limits a major life
activity, such as the ability to “concentrate”
or “focus”
Student v. Bonita Unified School District (OAH 2006)
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Borders
Physical Disabilities
IDEA Eligibility
• Qualifying physical disabilities:
– Deafness
– Hearing impairment
– Blindness
– Other visual impairments
– Orthopedic impairments
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Borders
Physical Disabilities
Section 504 Eligibility
• Student must have a physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits a
major life activity
– Some physical impairments may not be
obvious
• Cannot take into account mitigating
measures
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Borders
Physical Disabilities
Section 504 Discrimination
• May not prevent eligible Section 504
student from participating in
programs/activities due to inaccessibility to
district facilities
• Must provide reasonable accommodations
to allow student to participate in
programs/activities outside of school day
34 C.F.R. §§ 104.4; 104.12; 104.21
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Students at the Borders
Section 504 & IDEA are safety nets.
However, the best outcome is
when they are not needed!
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Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Thank you!