Skip to content
SPECIAL SERVICES
QUICK LINKS
SECTION 504
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance from the United States Department of Education. The Smithville School District is a recipient of federal financial assistance from the United States Department of Education and, therefore, is covered by Section 504.
The purpose of Section 504 is to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability in any program or activity provided by school districts that receive federal financial assistance. Otherwise stated, the purpose is to ensure that students who are eligible under Section 504 have educational opportunities equivalent to those of their nondisabled peers. Therefore, it is the responsibility of regular education staff and building administration to implement those practices and procedures necessary for a school to fulfill the requirements of this law. At each school within the Smithville School District, the responsibility for ensuring Section 504 compliance rests with the building principal or principal’s designee, also referred to as the Building 504 Representative.
Section 504 Disability Definition
Under Section 504, a person with a disability is defined as an individual who:
Has a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;
Has a record of such an impairment; or
Is regarded as having such an impairment.
Students who satisfy the first definition above are entitled to a free appropriate public education (“FAPE”) in the least restrictive environment. FAPE, under Section 504, is defined as the provision of regular or special education and related services that are designed to meet the individual educational needs of the disabled student as adequately as the needs of nondisabled students. Students who satisfy only the second and third definitions are not entitled to FAPE, but are entitled to be free from discrimination.
The goal of 504 plans is for students to be educated in regular classrooms along with the services, accommodations, or educational aids they might need. If students with these plans can't achieve satisfactory academic success, as is determined by the school, then alternative settings in the school or private or residential programs can be considered.
For more information about Section 504
For specific details regarding referral, eligibility and services required under this Federal Law, please refer to the important links below. In addition, parents and staff members are encouraged and invited to contact the School Assistant Principal, the Section 504 Building Representatives for the school, or the District 504 Coordinator, Mrs. Andrea Ambroson.
ABOUT OUR DEPARTMENT
Smithville School District offers a range of special education services based on an individual's need. Special education and related services are available to resident children attending public, private, and parochial schools who are identified as being educationally disabled in any of the following areas:
Specific learning disabilities
Emotional disturbance
Intellectual disability
Speech or language impairment
Orthopedic impairment
Other health impairments
Autism
Visual impairment/blind
Hearing impairment and deafness
Deaf/blindness
Traumatic brain injury
Young child with a developmental delay
Multiple disabilities
Special education and related services are offered to eligible students starting on their third birthday and continuing to age 21. Services are provided within the local district, through State School Programs for Severely Disabled, by contractual agreement with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education-approved not-for-profit agencies, or purchase of services from neighboring school districts.
Special Education Mission Statement
Special Education in the Smithville School District is a collaborative effort involving the school, family, and community in developing an appropriate educational program which supports each student as an individual within the general education environment and provides the opportunity for every student to maximize his/her potential and become a productive community member.
Public Awareness Policy
All public schools in the state of Missouri are required to provide a free and appropriate public education to all students with disabilities, including those attending private/parochial schools, beginning on the child's third birthday through age twenty-one (21), regardless of the severity of their disability.The public school assures that it will provide information and referral services necessary to assist the State in the implementation of early intervention services for infants and toddlers eligible for the Missouri's First Steps Program.
All public schools are required to provide parents the right to inspect and review personally identifiable information collected and used or maintained by the District relating to their children. Parents have the right to request amendments of these records if they feel the information is inaccurate, misleading, or violates the privacy or other rights of their children. Parents have the right to file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education or the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education concerning alleged failures by the District to meet the requirements of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). You may contact your local district, if you wish to review the requirements provided in FERPA.
The public school has developed a Local Compliance Plan for implementation of Special Education and this plan is available for public review during the regular school hours on days that school is in session in the office of the District Administration Building. The Local Compliance Plan is a written narrative, which describes the District's plan for compliance with the requirements for identifying and serving all students with disabilities. Included in this plan are the policies and procedures, which the District must follow regarding storage, disclosure to third parties, retention, and destruction of personally identifiable information. The plan also describes the assurances that services are provided in compliance with the requirements of Section 438 of the General Educational Provisions Act and Part 99 of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
Public schools in the State of Missouri are required to conduct an annual census of all children with disabilities or suspected disabilities from birth through age twenty-one (21) who reside in the District or whose parent/legal guardian resides in the District. This census is compiled as of December 1 each year. This information is treated as confidential and submitted to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Information to be collected includes: name of each child; parent/legal guardian's name/address; birth date and age of each child; each child's disability or suspected disability; and services provided to the child with the disability. Should the District fail to submit an annual census, the State Board of Education may withhold state aid until the census is submitted. If you have a child with a disability who is not attending the public school, or if you have questions regarding special services, please contact the Smithville School District Director of Special Services, Mrs. Andrea Ambroson at 816-532-0406
This notice can be provided in the native language of the parent.
CONTACTS
Andrea Ambroson
Director of Special Services
ambrosoa@smithville.k12.mo.us
816-532-0406 ext. 7032
Kristen Gromacki
Process Coordinator
gromackk@smithville.k12.mo.us
816-532-0406 ext. 7629
Amanda McCluskey
Process Coordinator
mccluska@smithville.k12.mo.us
816-532-0406 ext. 7669
Debbie Parnacott
Process Coordinator
parnacod@smithville.k12.mo.us
816-532-0406 ext. 7566
Mary Veslic
Process Coordinator
veslicm@smithville.k12.mo.us
816-532-0406 ext. 7102
Mary Kay Grusenmeyer
Parents as Teachers Coordinator
grusenmm@smithville.k12.mo.us
816-532-0406 ext. 7346
Brenda Dion
Administrative Assistant
dionb@smithville.k12.mo.us
816-532-0406 ext. 7962