Private/Home School

Parent Guide for SPED

In South Carolina, approximately 100,000 children are being served in special education. Should your child be identified as having a disability and needing special education services, the South Carolina Procedure (Parent Guide for SPED) will serve as information you will need to understand the system, and to protect the right of your child.

Please download the BCSD Procedural Safeguards/Garantías procesales de BCSD

Section 504

Section 504of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects disabled individuals against discrimination. It does so by mandating that no qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of any entity that is a recipient of Federal financial assistance (34 CFR § 104.4(a)).

Accommodations and related services provided through Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act Program (Section 504) ensure that a student with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity has equal access to education.

Section 504 accommodations and/or related services must be delineated in a Section 504 Plan formulated by the student’s teacher(s), parents/guardians, members of the Student Study Team (SST), Section 504 School Site Coordinator, and other relevant school site staff.

Examples of accommodations and/or services that BCSD must provide to students with a 504 include:

• Assistance on stairways for a student with mild cerebral palsy
• Extra time on tests for a student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Nursing services for a student with Type I Diabetes
• Use of an FM system for a student with a hearing loss
• BCSD must establish and maintain services and accommodations for students with disabilities in order to ensure that these students have equal access to education. BCSD’s 504 Committee is responsible for determining if a student qualifies for a Section 504 Plan as follows:
• Once a request for a Section 504 Plan is made, the MTSS/RtI team must meet to discuss and determine the need for a 504 plan.
• Each school must have a designated Section 504 School Coordinator to assist the school with referrals and oversee the implementation of Section 504 accommodations and services at the school. Please note that this is a general education function.
• The Beaufort County School District (“BCSD”) 504 Procedural Handbook is intended to provide an overview of the rules and procedures used to implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”).