Section 504 Plans Can Include Services!

 

DDCA has been receiving many questions regarding Section 504 Plans for students with dyslexia.  In particular, there is a common misunderstanding that students with dyslexia that have a 504 Plan can only receive accommodations.  Did you know that Section 504 Plans can include services and assistive technology as well?

DDCA is providing links with helpful resources including several of our You Asked! questions regarding Section 504.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights Frequently Asked Questionsabout Section 504:

  1. What services are available for students with disabilities under Section 504?

Section 504 requires recipients to provide to students with disabilities appropriate educational services designed to meet the individual needs of such students to the same extent as the needs of students without disabilities are met. An appropriate education for a student with a disability under the Section 504 regulations could consist of education in regular classrooms, education in regular classes with supplementary services, and/or special education and related services.

(Source:  UNITED STATES DEP’T OF EDUC., OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: REQUIREMENTS UNDER SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973 (2010), available at: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html.)

Other You Asked! questions on Section 504 are listed below:

You Asked! Q10

You Asked! Q17

You Asked! Q18

 

 

Legal & General Disclaimer: Decoding Dyslexia CA (DDCA) is a grassroots movement. The materials produced by DDCA are for informational purposes only and are not written by lawyers or anyone qualified in any way to interpret the law or provide legal advice. You should contact an attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. DDCA does not promote any specific company, organization, service, product or program. – Decoding Dyslexia CA

Community Collaboration on Implementing the CA Dyslexia Guidelines

On October 20th, over 100 participants gathered in Berkeley, CA famous Ed Roberts Campus to discuss Dyslexia and AB 1369:  School and Community Partnerships & Critical Next Steps. (To access a list of dyslexia resources that were provided at the event click here.)

This community collaboration had 36 unique school districts represented.  Over 20 school administrators, 40 educators and 40 parents & guardians came together for an interactive discussion on how California school districts are implementing the California Dyslexia Guidelines.  Discussions centered around the progress various school districts have accomplished to date and the need to address the identified challenges ahead.

Featured panelists included Elementary School Teachers, a SELPA Special Education Director, a District-Level Literacy Instructional Coach, Adjunct Faculty from CSUEB and the Decoding Dyslexia CA State Director.

Participants were able to experience first-hand what it feels like to be a student with dyslexia by participating in the IDA NorCal Experience Dyslexia®simulation.  Live demonstrations were provided by Learning Ally, The Center for Accessible  Technologyand Precision Learning Center.

A helpful 2-page summary of the California Dyslexia Guidelines can be found here.