No, the specific assessment process and timeline are outlined in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Similar to the IDEA, Section 504 regulations require that school districts “conduct an evaluation…of any persons who, because of [disability], need or are believed to need special education or related services . . . .”.^[1] The school district must establish standards and procedures for 504 evaluations and ensure that:

1. Tests and other evaluation materials have been validated for the specific purpose for which they are used and are administered by trained personnel in conformance with the instructions provided by their producer;
2. Tests and other evaluation materials include those tailored to assess specific areas of educational need and not merely those which are designed to provide a single general intelligence quotient; and
3. Tests are selected and administered so as best to ensure that when a test is administered to a student with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills, the test results accurately reflect their aptitude or achievement level or whatever other factor the test purports to measure, rather than reflecting their impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills (except where those skills are the factors that the test purports to measure).^[2]

While there is no specific timeline under Section 504 in which school districts must complete the initial evaluation, the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has explained that the various steps leading to placement, which includes evaluation, must be completed within a reasonable period of time.^[3] When deciding what is a reasonable period of time, OCR has applied state timelines as a guideline.^[4] California state law requires school districts to complete assessments within 60 days of receiving parental consent.^[5]

Once a child is found eligible under Section 504, the school district must conduct periodic re-evaluation of that child.^[6] To meet this duty, the school district can follow the evaluation requirements under the IDEA.

Section 504 evaluation standards and procedures may be different for each school district. The district may choose to use the special education assessment process or develop a separate process for Section 504 evaluation.^[7] Parents/Guardians/Other Education Rights Holders should write their district Section 504 Coordinator and obtain a copy of the district’s 504 Policies and Procedures.

1. 34 C.F.R. Sec. 104.35(a)[↩]
2. 34 C.F.R. Sec. 104.35(b).[↩]
3. Lumberton (MS) Pub. Sch. Dist., 18 IDELR 33; 18 LRP 1739 (OCR June 24, 1991).[↩]
4. Beach Park (IL) CMTY Consol, Sch. Dist., 62 IDELR 155; 113 LRP 32271 (OCR May 29, 2013).[↩]
5. Cal. Ed. Code. Sec. 56302.1.[↩]
6. 34 C.F.R. 104.35(d).[↩]
7. 34 C.F.R. Sec. 104.35.[↩]