504 Coordinator
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a national law that protects qualified individuals from discrimination based on their disability. Education must be equitable under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Austin ISD will consider students for 504 evaluations based on their impairments or disabilities and current classroom needs
Section 504 is not a default plan for students who do not qualify or reject Special Education support plans. The Section 504 referral process is independent. For students seeking support for dyslexia, dysgraphia, or Specific Learning Disabilities, an Austin ISD evaluation is required.
Section 504 Process
- Teachers, Parents, Staff, or Administrators refer students for a Referral of Eligibility.
- The 504 Coordinator collects the data to review. This may include grades, attendance, assessments, teacher feedback, previous academic evaluations, Other Health Impairment forms from pediatricians, and student and parent input.
- 504 Committee convenes. The 504 committee comprises three voting members: a current teacher of record, an Administrator, and the 504 Coordinator. This is different from the voting members and meetings for special education.
- Determine if the student has an impairment that substantially limits that child from participating in one or more major life activities.
- If deemed eligible by the committee, an Individual Accommodation Plan is created.
- 504 IAP is shared with the student’s teachers of record.
- Re-evaluation meetings are convened every three years to re-determine eligibility.
- A “Snapshot” meeting is an annual review of a student’s plan to maintain appropriate support. It does not require formal meetings. No changes are made to the plan. If changes are recommended, a Review meeting will be scheduled.
- Review meetings may be requested if a student is unsuccessful with the current plan, and the 504 committee should consider changes.
How is a 504 Plan assessed and created?
The campus 504 committee will review data from multiple sources and determine the need for accommodations to ensure equal access in the classroom. Often, determining a student’s needs will also require student classroom observations and feedback from multiple teachers. Accommodations may be denied if the student performs equally to the classroom peers without additional support.
Common Resources
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Right
Test Accommodations
ACT and College Board (AP, PSAT, & SAT) are not required to accept 504 Accommodation Plans utilized by the student’s campus but may require a copy to determine the student’s need.
It is the parent and student's responsibility to request College Board and ACT accommodations by the deadlines provided by the institutions (College Board or ACT).
College Board (PSAT, AP, and SAT)
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- Requesting College Board Testing Accommodations begins with filling out the College Board Consent Form for Accommodation Request. Complete the form and return it to the Campus SSD Coordinator, Melissa Williamson (504) or Heather Noble (SpEd)
- Link to College Board Accommodations Request process.
- Deadlines for College Board Accommodations requests.
ACT
- Register to test. Create an account or sign in. Online registration will require your high school code (440294) and accessibility needs. You must do this at least four weeks before the testing date.
- You'll receive an email that must be sent to your school official along with a completed Consent to Release Information to ACT (PDF) form. Complete the form and return it to the Campus ACT Coordinator, Robin Spencer.
The International Baccalaureate®- click here for information about the 504 and Special Education Testing Accommodations Policy for IB Students
Austin ISD Section 504 Department
4000 S. IH 35 Frontage Rd, 5th Floor
Austin, TX 78704
Phone: (512) 414-6645