Charlotte County Public Schools

Public Notice: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Section 504 and ADA are laws which prohibit discrimination against any person with a disability by any program receiving federal financial assistance. These laws define a person with a disability as anyone who:

1. has a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities (major life activities such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working)
2. has a record of such an impairment, or
3. is regarded as having such an impairment.

 
In order to fulfill its obligation under Section 504, the School Board of Charlotte County, Florida recognizes a responsibility to avoid discrimination in policies and practices regarding its personnel and students. No discrimination against any person with a disability will knowingly be permitted in any of the programs and practices in the school system.
 

The school district has specific responsibilities under Section 504, which include the responsibility to identify, evaluate, and if the child is determined to be eligible under Section 504, to afford access to appropriate educational services.

If the parent or guardian disagrees with the determination made by the professional staff of the school district, he/she has a right to a hearing with an impartial hearing officer.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) also specifies rights related to educational records. This law gives the parent or guardian the right to:

1. inspect and review his/her child's educational records
2. make copies of these records
3. receive a list of all individuals having access to those records
4. ask for an explanation of any item in the records
5. ask for an amendment to any report on the grounds that it is inaccurate, misleading, or violates the child's rights
6. a hearing on the issue if the school refuses to make the amendment.