Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) ensures that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in school-sponsored extracurricular and nonacademic activities to the same extent as their nondisabled peers. School districts must provide the assistance a student needs to equally participate in an extracurricular activity, even if the activity is not included in the student’s IEP or 504 Plan. However, when a student cannot participate in an activity even with reasonable accommodations, the school district may appropriately deny the student participation in the activity.
Accommodation Examples
- Visual cues to signal the start of races for students with hearing impairments
- Waiving the “two-hand” touch finish in a swimming race for a student with a missing or amputated limb
- Providing an interpreter to relay the coach’s directives
Tip: If your child is unable to participate in the sport but still wants to be on the team, talk to the coach about other positions, like team manager.
Athletics
If your child wants to participate in athletics, the school must make an individualized inquiry to determine if there are reasonable modifications, or necessary aids and services, which would enable your child to take part in the activity. The school cannot deny your child’s participation based purely on stereotypes and assumptions about their abilities.
However, if providing a modification, aid, or service would put an undue burden on the athletics program, the school does not have to provide such an accommodation. Additionally, the school’s obligation to provide an equal opportunity for your child to join an athletics team does not include:
- Making changes that will affect the fundamental nature of the game;
- Giving a student with a disability an unfair advantage over competitors; or
- Compromising student safety.
If your child cannot participate in school athletics even with reasonable accommodations, the school is not required to create a separate athletic program specifically for students with disabilities. For more information, see the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Dear Colleague Letter: Students with Disabilities in Extracurricular Athletics (2013).
Field Trips
School districts must also provide the related aids and services necessary for your child to participate in field trips, including overnight or days-long trips. You should receive notice of any planned field trips just like any other parent in the district so that you have the same opportunity to make an informed decision about your child’s participation in the trip.
If your child needs school nurse or health services (e.g., medication administration), the school cannot deny your child’s participation due to lack of staff availability to provide such services. Additionally, the school cannot require you to accompany your child on a field trip if the same obligation is not imposed on the parents of your child’s nondisabled peers. Any related aids or services needed to ensure the safety and participation of your child on field trips must be provided by the school.
Note: In some instances, the school may be able to deny your child’s participation if it can demonstrate that participating would pose legitimate health and safety risks to your child.