It is the policy of the District 115 Board of Education to provide a free and appropriate public education to each student with a disability. It is the intent of the district to ensure that students who are eligible for services/accommodations within the definition of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are identified, evaluated, and provided with appropriate educational services/accommodations.

Parents have the following rights under Section 504: 

1. Have your child take part in, and receive an appropriate education and benefit from, public education programs without discrimination because of his/her disability

2. Have the school district advise you of your rights and procedural safeguards under Section 504 in an understandable language

3. Receive notice with respect to identification, evaluation, or placement of your child

4. Have your child receive a free appropriate public education (this includes the right to be educated with nondisabled students to the maximum extent appropriate in the least restrictive environment and the right to have the school district make reasonable accommodations to allow your child an equal opportunity to participate in school-related activities)

5. Have your child educated in facilities and receive services comparable to those provided nondisabled students

6. Have your child receive an individualized evaluation and receive special education services if s/he is found to be eligible under the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

7. Have evaluation, educational, and placement decisions made based upon a variety of information sources, and by persons who know the student, the evaluation data, and placement options

8. Have your child be given an equal opportunity to participate in nonacademic and extracurricular activities offered by the district

9. Examine all relevant records relating to decisions regarding your child’s identification, evaluation, educational program and placement, and obtain copies of educational records at a reasonable cost unless the fee would effectively deny you access to the records

10. Receive a response from the school district to reasonable requests for explanations and interpretations of your child’s records

11. Request an amendment(s) of your child’s educational records if you believe that they are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the privacy or other rights of your child. If the school district refuses your request for amendment, it shall notify you within a reasonable time, and advise you of the right to a hearing consistent with the procedures in the Illinois School Student Records Act

12. File a grievance under the district’s Uniform Grievance Procedure with the district’s complaint manager

13. Request an impartial due process hearing related to decisions or actions regarding your child’s identification, evaluation, educational program or placement (You and the student may take part in the hearing and have an attorney represent you at your own expense. The impartial Hearing Officer will be selected by the district. Hearing requests must be made to the district’s Section 504 Coordinator.) 

14. File a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights of the United States Department of Education alleging a violation of your rights under Section 504. You may file a complaint by contacting:

Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
Citigroup Center

500 W. Madison Street, Suite 1475
Chicago, IL 60661-4544
Voice Phone (312) 730-1560
FAX (312) 730-1576
TDD (800) 877-8339