Special Education/Section 504
PHILOSOPHY
LPS places a high value on supporting every student to meet their learning potential. Students with disabilities, preschool through age 21, receive support in all district schools. A priority is to include every student in general education while recognizing and meeting individual needs through special education resources.
CHILD FIND PROCESS
LPS Child Find Team provides free developmental screenings for children ages 2 years 10 months to 5 who show delays in development that could interfere with their education and learning. Families must live within the District boundaries to access these services.
IDENTIFICATION
All LPS schools provide identification services to determine a student’s eligibility for special education services. If you are concerned about your child, please contact your school directly.
SERVICES
Each school site has a Learning Support Services team of professionals that can vary according to the needs of students in the building. Additionally, the District has a variety of center-based programs designed to provide more intensive support.
Student Support Services
Section 504
Section 504 is a Federal law that prohibits disability discrimination by recipients of Federal financial assistance.
All public schools and school districts, as well as all public charter schools, that receive Federal financial assistance from the Department must comply with Section 504.
Student Evaluations and Placement Under Section 504
Under Section 504, school districts must conduct an evaluation in a timely manner of any student who needs or is believed to need special education or related services because of a disability. When a school is aware of a student’s disability, or has reason to suspect a student has a disability, and the student needs or is believed to need special education or related services, it would be a violation of Section 504 if the school delays or denies the evaluation. In some circumstances, the IDEA evaluation process may provide the school district with the necessary information, required by Section 504, to determine whether a student has a disability, and whether that student needs related aids and services or supplementary aids and services in the general education environment because of that disability. However, if needed, additional evaluation may be required.
Contact the 504 Coordinator at your school with questions.
District Section 504 Policies
AC- Non-discrimination/Equal Opportunity
AC-E-1 Non-discrimination/Equal Opportunity