Are districts required to have a single 504 coordinator?

[daisy madness]

We're still muddling our way through our issues with the school district. I had a phone consult with an attorney and we're meeting with her next week to show her our documentation, discuss strategy, etc.
She asked me to find out who our district 504 coordinator is. She said it should be posted on the website, but it isn't. It says that if you need to contact the 504 coordinator, send mail to "504 coordinator" at x address. No name. I specifically asked the superintendent a few weeks ago and he said that for the elementary school, it's the nurse. The attorney said that the district should have a designated 504 coordinator for the district and that it likely isn't the nurse. In poking around the website, it said the coordinator is the head of the child study team (no name given).  So I searched for her name and called her. She said it's not her and that it's the building principal. So I called him and he said that each building principal is the coordinator for that building. So I asked him for a copy of DS's 504 file and am picking it up tomorrow.

Is there a law requiring districts to have a coordinator for the whole district? This elementary school seems to not have a clue as to what they're doing.

And I finally got a response from someone at the county level. He admitted to not knowing much about 504 regulations and said that their office can't force the district to make an accommodation. Oh my goodness. I said that the district isn't following regulations. But he said they can't do anything about that.

[Macabre]

No. Our school has had one, and who it is has varied, but it's been a principal. But in elem and MHZ the Sped Director for our district got involved and even used to come to our teacher meeting every fall.

http://doe.sd.gov/oess/documents/sped_section504_Guidelines.pdf

[daisy madness]

Got it. Thanks! Unfortunately, the principal doesn't seem to know what he's doing. I was hoping there would be someone within the district who knows the 504 laws clearly and could educate the people making his 504.

The principal referenced a school physician on retainer. I asked him if the school physician has reviewed DS's records. He said "not that I know of."  Would they need my consent in order to do so?

[twinturbo]

504 is not for them to diagnose, it is to evaluate for eligibility. Be careful there. If they keep playing hot potato like this I'd ask your lawyer if a straight shot into the SD lawyer is the most effective course to open a dialogue to gain traction.

[daisy madness]

I don't want the school physician evaluating him. But he mentioned the district has a physician on retainer, so I asked if he had. I want to be sure that the school would need my consent prior to allowing that.

[twinturbo]

Right, they must consider a 'variety of sources' so they may use a nurse or physician as a source. It remains that they may not diagnose so hold them (and your lawyer) to that standard. Also don't let them derail with that as a distraction. I wouldn't even respond to anything for or against re: their physician. Make sure they can't ignore yours, that's what matters.

[daisy madness]

Ok. Thanks!!

Turbo--have you considered becoming a professional advocate? You have a gift for sorting through the extra nonsense and keeping things focused on the core issues.

[twinturbo]

I don't, really, although I appreciate the sentiment. If I ever master some targeted in-demand GIS skills I've definitely considered going back to law enforcement in a manner where I'm less directly in harm's way. Risk was easier to take on before kids but I do miss the opportunity to protect and serve even when most people hate you for it.

Many of the parents here know more about daily grind of going through the 504 process whereas I was trained to read regulations. In comparison I'm a desk jockey to their field experience which I learn from all the time and incorporate, any ability I have to apply regulations to process is owed to their wisdom. A good grain of salt to carry regarding my posts. Caveat emptor.

[Macabre]

My district pulled that, too. However, it was our district Sped Director and he also asked me to submit DS's test results. I had results from three doctors (we had lived in three different cities). I only agreed becUse I had a strong sense that my sped dir was really working for my son.

Our school had initially declared my son ineligible and I called OCR and my sped dir. He asked me to wait to file a complaint until we could reconvene the eligibility meeting. He asked for those two things I think to build an airtight case FOR the 504.

I agreed on the condition that I be allowed to talk with their ped, who also happened to be a donor to my org, not that I talked business, but I had some trust for her from the outset. When I talked with her, she basically said looking at his medical records she'd have to trust his doctors, that she was not in the position to counter them.

Also--in our case DS's medical history only underscored the need. Three doctors had do documented reactions. Three sets of RAST results. They made it a slam dunk.


I am NOT recommending  this tactic to anyone. I had a strong sense from the Sped Dir that he wanted to make sure DS' eligibility would not be questioned. We were the first 504 for FAs in our district, btw.