2288 Liberty Street NE,
Salem, OR 97301
503-581-8156 (Voice)
503-391-0429 (fax)
888-505-2673
Special Ed Help Line: 1-888-891-6784
Email: info@oregonrisecenter.org
Section 504
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a federal law that prohibits discrimination. This overview provides information about how it applies to any school that receives federal funds, including information on accommodation plans for students.
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973
In 1973 when the Rehabilitation Act was passed, little was being done on a federal level to encourage participation
and equal access to federally funded programs by the disabled. While largely geared toward providing job
opportunities and training to disabled a dults, the Act also addresse d, though ve ry discreetly, the failure of the public
schools to educate disabled students. The single paragraph we now refer to as §504 of the Rehabilitation Act
provided that
“No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States, as defined in section 706(8) of
this title, shall, solely by reason of her or his handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the
benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial
assistance or under any program or activity conducted by any Executive agency or by the United States
Postal Service....” —29 U.S.C. § 794(a) (1973).