If your child has a physical or mental disability, they may be eligible for Section 504 services and supports. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is the civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability; and guarantees individuals with disabilities equal access to an education.

How can I file a complaint? What rights do I have?

Local school districts are responsible for implementing Section 504 Plans, a first step is to contact the campus Principal and the campus Section 504 coordinator to discuss your concerns. 

If further assistance is needed, you may also file a formal complaint which will help ensure a Section 504 investigation takes place. To file a formal complaint, please download the form and submit it to the Director of Section 504.

You may:

1. mail the form;
2. deliver it in person; or
3. scan and email it.

Resources: 

The Office of Civil Rights enforces the Section 504 protections of students who receive special education services. Areas enforced by OCR include:

• Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE): Ensuring that students with disabilities attending public elementary and secondary schools receive regular or special education and related aids and services so that their needs are met as adequately as those of students without disabilities. FAPE Requirements under Section 504
• Discipline: Ensuring that students are not inappropriately punished or disciplined for reasons related to their disability and are not subjected to discriminatorily different treatment in discipline. Section 504 Discipline Factsheet
• Accessibility of Technology: Requiring schools and colleges to use technology that is accessible to individuals with disabilities or to otherwise provide equal access to the educational benefits and opportunities afforded by the technology. Section 504 Technology Accessibility
• Physical Accessibility of Programs, Services and Facilities: Requiring schools to make any programs, services and facilities physically accessible to individuals with disabilities. Section 504 Programs & Facilities Accessibility
• Harassment, Including Bullying that Rises to the Level of Harassment: Requiring schools and colleges to prevent and address harassment on the basis of disability. Disability: Harassment and Disability under Section 504

• Right to Equal Treatment: Requiring that schools provide students with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in, and receive the benefits of, the institutions’ programs. This applies to such areas as admissions and recruitment; college and university housing; access to nonacademic and extracurricular activities, including extracurricular athletics; retaliation; and employment. Disability Discrimination under Section 504

• How to File an OCR Complaint Short video from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to assist the public in filing federal civil rights complaints.