• SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973

       

      Section 504 is a federal law designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive Federal financial assistance.  Regulations for Section 504 require a school district to provide a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE) to each qualified student with a disability who is in the school district’s jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability.

       

      The Henry County School System abides by the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as well as the revisions in the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008 (Amendments Act) effective January 1, 2009. The Amendments Act revised the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and included conforming amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that impacts the meaning of disability in Section 504.  

       

      Who should I contact for more information on Section 504?

      The Pate's Creek Elementary School Section 504 Admin is: Mrs. Toi McLaughlin.  You may contact her at Pate's Creek Elementary School, 1309 Jodeco Rd, Stockbridge, GA 30281; telephone: (770) 389-8819 or email toi.mclaughlin@henry.k12.ga.us

       

      Who is protected by Section 504?

      Any otherwise qualified individual who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment or is regarded as having an impairment.

       

      What is a major life activity? 

      Major life activities, as defined in the Section 504 regulations include (This is not an exhaustive list):
       
      Caring for one’s self Eating 
      Performing manual tasks      Sleeping         
      Walking  Standing
      Seeing  Lifting
      Hearing 

      Bending
      Speaking Reading
      Breathing Concentrating
      Learning Thinking
      Working Communicating

                

      In the Amendments Act of 2008, Congress also provided a non-exhaustive list of examples of "major bodily functions" that are major life activities, such as the functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and reproductive functions.  The Section 504 regulatory provision's list of examples of major life activities is not exclusive, and an activity or function not specifically listed in the Section 504 regulatory provision can nonetheless be a major life activity.