Advocating for Children on the Autism Spectrum: Q & A on Section 504
Section 504 is a federal law designed to protect the rights of students with disabilities in programs and activities that receive federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Section 504 provides: "No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States … shall solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance…" Section 504 covers qualified children with disabilities who attend schools receiving Federal financial assistance. To be protected under Section 504, a child must be determined to: 1) have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; 2) have a record of such an impairment, or 3) be regarded as having such an impairment. Section 504 requires that school districts provide a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) to qualifi