Health Office Information

What is Section 504?
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, commonly referred to as “Section 504,” is a federal statute that prohibits discrimination against persons based on their disability by institutions, such as A+ Charter Schools, that receive federal financial assistance.

What is its purpose?
Its purpose is to ensure that disabled students have educational opportunities and benefits equal to those provided to non-disabled students. An eligible student under Section 504 is a student who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. If a student is covered by Section 504,  A+ Charter Schools must provide such accommodations necessary to ensure that the student has equal access to services, programs, and activities offered by our schools.

• Request a Section 504 Evaluation

Special Medical Needs
At A+ Charter School, our goal is to provide each student with the maximum learning opportunities within a minimally restrictive environment. All medical conditions that may impair your student’s ability to perform in class must be reported to the school health services department. This information will help the nurse to improve your student’s ability to perform in the classroom and reduce feelings of difference among their peers.

Ongoing communication between parents, students, and staff is vital to a student’s success in A+ Charter School. We believe in building relationships with our students, and it is important that all personnel coming into contact with a student be aware of any accommodation that a student may need. A team approach involving any appropriate personnel is used in providing the best learning experience for students. Our school’s health services department has a role to coordinate the care between home and school. Please contact your campus health services department for assistance.

Resources & Forms
Students with certain chronic health conditions may need special accommodations related to school attendance. If you believe your child would qualify for these accommodations, please contact our health services department for more information and to obtain the certification medical form.

Student Health Care Plans
At A+ Charter School, it is required that all students who have a specific health condition have an Action Health Care Plan on file in health services. This Action Health Care Plan needs to be updated yearly.

Family Responsibility

• Notification to the school of the child’s condition, medication, special needs, and changes to health status.
• Working with the school team to develop a plan that accommodates the child’s needs throughout the school year. This plan includes inside the classroom, in the cafeteria, during school-sponsored activities, and while on the school bus. All this information will be included in the child’s Action Health Care Plan.
• Meeting with teachers to set up expectations for maintaining communication and continuity during absences.
• Providing updates to home and emergency contact information.

Subtitle B of Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.) is included in the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. The reauthorization requires that children and youth experiencing homelessness be immediately enrolled in school and have educational opportunities equal to those of their non-homeless peers. The statute requires every public school district and charter holder to designate a homeless liaison to ensure that homeless students are identified and their needs are met. To supplement services to these children and youth, the U.S. Department of Education provides funding for state and local activities. These dollars are allocated to local education agencies through a competitive grant process, based on need and program quality.

Mission
To ensure that homeless children and youth have access to a free, appropriate public education comparable to that provided to the children of any Arizona resident and consistent with Arizona’s mandatory school attendance laws.

Qualifications
Those living in any of the following may qualify:

• A shelter, motel, vehicle, or campground; on the street; in an abandoned building, trailer, or other inadequate accommodations
• Doubled up with friends or relatives because housing cannot be found or afforded

Rights
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act includes certain rights and protections to:

• Go to school, no matter where you live or how long you have lived there. You must be given access to the same public education provided to other students.
• Continue in the school you attended before you became homeless or the school you last attended, if that is your choice and it is feasible. The school district’s local liaison for homeless education must assist you, if needed, and offer you the right to appeal a decision regarding your choice of school if it is against your wishes.
• Receive transportation to the school you attended before you became homeless or the school you last attended, if you request such transportation.
• Attend a school and participate in school programs with students who are not homeless. Students cannot be separated from the regular school program because they are homeless.
• Enroll in school without giving a permanent address. Schools cannot require proof of residency that might prevent or delay school enrollment.
• Enroll and attend classes while the school arranges for the transfer of school and immunization records or any other documents required for enrollment.
• Enroll and attend classes in the school of your choice, even while the school and you seek to resolve a dispute over enrollment.
• Receive the same special programs and services, if needed, as provided to all other students served in these programs.
• Receive transportation to school and to school programs.

When You Move
When you move, you should do the following:

• Contact the school district’s local liaison for homeless education for help in enrolling in a new school or arranging to continue in your former school. (Or someone at a shelter, social services office, or the school can direct you to the person you need to contact.)
• Tell your teachers anything you think they need to know to help you in school.
• Ask the local liaison for homeless education, the shelter provider, or a social worker for assistance with clothing and supplies, if needed.

Purpose
Homebound Services are recommended for A+ Charter students who cannot attend school due to an acute illness, disease, accident, or other health condition for no fewer than three months.

Qualifications
All students referred to and applying for Homebound Services must first be found eligible for the program. The student must be examined by a competent medical doctor (DO or MD) who certifies that the student cannot attend regular classes for at least three months.