• 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 Tussahaw Elementary School Section 504 Admin is: Mrs. Ana Hall.  You may contact her at Tussahaw Elementary School, 225 Coan Dr., McDonough, Georgia, 30253; telephone: (770) 957- 0546 or email ana.hall@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.