Parent and Educator Resource Guide to Section 504 in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools

Scenario 2 – Suspected Disability & Involvement of Knowledgeable People

Robert’s seventh grade teachers report that he often falls asleep, without warning, during class and misses instruction. His parents insist that he gets a good night sleep but note that their pediatrician told them Robert might have narcolepsy, a chronic brain disorder that involves poor control of sleep and wake patterns. What should the teachers do?

Staff should seek an evaluation to determine whether Robert has a physical or mental impairment that is interfering with his ability to stay awake. The group who meets to review this evaluation and make a decision about services must consist of knowledgeable people (for example, school nurses, teachers, counselors, psychologists, school administrators, social workers, doctors, etc.) who, in interpreting evaluation data and determining the needed services, carefully review and analyze information collected from a variety of sources (for example, the pediatrician’s report; aptitude and psychological test results; the student’s grade reports; teacher observations; the student’s social and cultural background; the student’s family).

If the evaluation, which must be conducted at no cost to the parents or student, shows that the student has a disability, then the knowledgeable group (that is, people who are knowledgeable about the student, the meaning of the evaluation data and about the placement options), must together determine placement, including the special education or related aids and services the student needs under Section 504.