504
Services
504
services are available for district
students who have a handicapping
condition that may interfere with their
learning.
Individuals considered eligible for
protection from discrimination under
Section 504 are those who have a
physical or mental impairment which
substantially limits a major life
activity. To make the determination of
"disability" under Section 504, both
conditions must be present.
Students are referred to the 504
committee by parents, and/or school
staff. When the district 504 committee
receives a referral they will review
data and related information to
determine eligibility for services.
Parents will be invited to participate
in the 504 process. Students who are
eligible for 504 services will receive
an individualized 504 Accommodation
plan. The committee will review this
plan at least annually. The 504 student
will have a case manager to monitor
his/her progress and to act as a liaison
with the teaching staff and family.
Beverly Stoskus, AMS Counselor, will be
serving as the District 504 Coordinator
and District 504 Compliance Officer for
the 09-10 school year. She can be
reached at 908-996-6811 ext. 235 or
stoskus@alexandriaschools.org.
Information Regarding Section 504
of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504 is an
Act prohibiting discrimination against
anyone with a handicap in any program
receiving federal financial assistance.
The Act defines a person with a handicap
as anyone whom:
1.
Has a physical or mental
impairment which substantially limits
one or more major life activities,
including such activities as caring for
oneself, performing manual tasks,
walking, seeing, hearing, speaking,
breathing, learning and working.
2.
Has a record of such impairment;
or
3.
Is regarded as having such an
impairment.
In order to fulfill
its obligation under Section 504, the
school district recognizes a
responsibility to avoid discrimination
in policies and practices regarding its
personnel and students. No
discrimination against any person with a
handicap will knowingly be permitted in
any of the programs and practices of the
school system.
The school district
has specific responsibilities under the
Act, which include the responsibility to
identify, evaluate, and if the child is
determined to be eligible under Section
504, afford access to educational
services.
If you have any
questions, please feel free to contact Beverly
Stoskus, MA, LPC,
the Section 504
Coordinator for the school district at
908-996-6811 ext. 235 or
stoskus@alexandriaschools.org
Alexandria Township Schools
NOTICE OF PARENT/STUDENT RIGHTS
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973
The following is a
description of the rights granted by
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
(“Section 504”) to parents and their
children who are identified as disabled.
The school district is obligated to
inform you of decisions about your child
and of your rights if you disagree with
any of those decisions.
You have the
following rights:
1.
To have your child take part in,
and receive benefits from, public
education programs without
discrimination because of his/her
disability;
2. To have the school district
advise you of your rights under federal
law;
3. To receive notice from the
school with respect to the
identification, evaluation, educational
program or placement of your child;
4. According to the Department
of Education’s 504 Regulations, to have
your child receive a free appropriate
public education. This includes the
right to be educated with non-disabled
students to the maximum extent
appropriate. It also includes the right
to reasonable accommodations,
modifications, and related
aids and services necessary for your
child to benefit from his or her
educational program.
5. To have your child educated
in comparable facilities and receive
comparable services to those provided
non-disabled students;
6. To have decisions regarding
your child’s evaluation, program and
placement based upon a variety of
information sources, and made by persons
familiar with the student, the
evaluation data, and the placement
options;
7. To have your child
reevaluated periodically, to the extent
necessary, including before any
significant changes are made to your
child's educational program or
placement;
8. To have your child receive an
equal opportunity to participate in
extra-curricular school activities;
9. To examine all relevant
educational records relating to
decisions regarding your child's
identification, evaluation, education
program, and placement;
10. To obtain copes of educational
records at a reasonable cost unless the
fee would effectively deny you access to
the records;
11. To receive a response from the
school district to reasonable requests
for explanations and interpretations of
your child's records;
12. To request amendment of your
child's educational records if there is
reasonable cause to believe that they
are inaccurate, misleading or otherwise
in violation of the privacy rights of
your child. If the school district
refuses this request for amendment, it
shall notify you within a reasonable
time, and advise you of the right to a
hearing;
13. To file a grievance through
local grievance procedures regarding any
alleged violation of the Rehabilitation
Act;
14. To request an impartial
hearing, to be conducted by a person who
is not an employee of the district, to
dispute decisions or actions regarding
your child's identification, evaluation,
educational program or placement as a
student with a disability. You and your
child may take part in the hearing and
have an attorney represent you at your
expense. Questions about how to request
a hearing may be forwarded to the person
responsible for the district’s
compliance with Section 504 listed
below;
15. To have the decisions made by
hearing officers or others reviewed in
state or federal court;
The person in this
District who is responsible for assuring
that the District complies with Section
504 is: Beverly Stoskus, MA LPC
908-996-6811 ext. 235
stoskus@alexandriaschools.org
