Referral and Evaluation for Section 504

1. 1. A referral under Section 504 occurs when a person or parent reports to the campus the existence of or suspension of a condition or disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities or bodily functions.
   2. Each campus appoints a §504 Designee who receives the referral.
   3. NEISD employees, parents/guardians, family members, and/or community members who report a condition to the classroom teacher also initiate a referral. However, the teacher then reports to the §504 Designee who contacts the parent to begin the documentation process.
   4. Until the finalization of the initial meeting, the term considered for an evaluation is used as the determination for eligibility occurs during the meeting.
   5. The §504 committee requires signed consent to begin the evaluation process. The §504 Designee obtains parental consent and maintains the documents provided for the evaluation process.
   6. The evaluation process under §504 consists of a review of diagnostic data. There is not a “§504 test” for the student to experience. Data is collected from multiple sources in a way that answers two questions.
   7. Is there an identified disability or condition?
   8. Does the condition substantially limit a major life activity or bodily function?
   9. Diagnostic reports provided by a medical or mental health treating professional licensed to practice in the United States of America contain eligibility information for the committee to consider.
   10. Parent and/or teacher checklists and observations frequently become part of the data used by treating professionals in determining a diagnosis.
   11. Parents provide access to treating professional documentation of conditions
       • Provide a copy of the diagnostic report from the medical doctor, therapist, mental health professional, or treating organization
       • Sign a consent to share confidential information allowing the school to contact the student's treating professional(s) to obtain the diagnostic data
   12. The evaluation process considers any information gathered through a full and individual initial evaluation under IDEIA indicating that a condition exists limiting the major life activity of learning, however, not at the level requiring specially designed instruction in Special Education.
   13. Dyslexia evaluations, occurring under IDEIA, become part of the considerations for evaluation under §504.