Does a student with a medical diagnosis automatically qualify as a disabled student under Section 504?
No. Not every medical diagnosis will substantially limit a student’s ability to perform a major life activity. However, if a medical diagnosis does substantially limit a student’s ability to perform a major life activity (e.g., to learn or attend school), the student may qualify as a disabled student under Section 504. Such a student may need an individual health plan, an emergency care plan, or another type of special education or related aid or service documented in a Section 504 plan to participate in or benefit from the district’s education program.
