Student Services

Section 504 Evaluations and Plans

Section 504 is a federal law of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with a disability in any program receiving federal assistance. The district has specific responsibilities under this act, which include the responsibility to identify, evaluate, and if the child has a current disability and is termed to be eligible under Section 504, to afford access to appropriate educational programs. Section 504 defines a person with a disability as anyone who has a "mental or physical impairment which substantially limits a "...major life function." A major life function includes activities such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working.

Guidance and Resources from Ohio Department of Education

Public Notice

The Massillon City School District and the Ohio Department of Education are trying to identify children with disabilities, birth through age 21, who may be in need of special education services. For children birth to age 3, a disability means an established condition known to result in a delay or a documented developmental delay. For children 3-5 years of age, a disability means that a child has a documented deficit in one or more of the following areas:

communication
vision
hearing
motor skills
social/emotional functioning
self-help, and/or
cognitive skills

For school-age students, a disability means that a student has been identified as having one or more of the following disabilities that adversely affects his/her progress in the general education curriculum:

multiple disabilities
deaf-blindness
visual impairments
speech/language impairments
orthopedic impairments
emotional disturbances
cognitive disabilities
specific learning disability
autism
traumatic brain injury
other health impairments

The Massillon City School District offers evaluation for all children with suspected disabilities free of charge. Once the school district is notified about a child who is suspected of having a disability, the child’s parent(s) are contacted and informed of their rights as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA Act) and the Operating Standards for Ohio’s Schools serving Children with Disabilities.

If you know of a child who is suspected of having a disability, contact Ryan Spicer, Director, Student Services, at 330-830-3900 Ext. 50147, or via email at rspicer@massillonschools.org

Massillon City Schools