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

School districts must have standards and procedures to evaluate students who may have a disability and need special education or related services.⁵⁴ The evaluation of a student, however, must be individualized. Although Section 504 does not require a specific process, the standards and procedures must meet certain requirements. Specifically, the evaluation standards and procedures must ensure that:

• Evaluations consist of more than IQ tests;⁵⁵

• Evaluations measure specific areas of educational need. These could include speech processing, inability to concentrate, and behavioral concerns;⁵⁶

• Tests are selected and administered to the student in a manner that best ensures that the test results accurately reflect the student’s aptitude or achievement or other factor being measured, rather than reflect the student’s disability, except where those are the factors being measured;⁵⁷

• Tests and other evaluation materials are validated for the specific purpose for which they are used;⁵⁸ and

• Tests are appropriately administered by trained personnel.⁵⁹