Section 504 refers to a section of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The purpose of this law is to provide equal and meaningful access for people with disabilities. A "person with a disability" as defined by Section 504 is any person who (i) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, (ii) has a record of such an impairment, or (iii) is regarded as having such an impairment. The basic premise as it applies to public schools: a student has an identified and documented disability, or suspected disability, which substantially limits a major life function (caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning or working) and requires reasonable accommodations in order to access education.

The purpose of this law is to provide equal and meaningful access for people with disabilities.