What is an Educational 504 plan?
Many parents are familiar with an IEP, or Individualized Education Plan, even if their children don’t qualify for one. It’s a legal document that outlines the goals and objectives a school is targeting with a child who meets certain eligibility requirements. However, a student must have demonstrated a need that impacts access to the curriculum in order to qualify for an IEP. An educational 504 plan, on the other hand, is a legal document that ensures that students have the accommodations that they need to succeed in a public school setting. A 504 plan does not require specific and measurable goals to target a student’s specific areas of need like an IEP does. As a former contract school employee, I’ve heard a 504 plan referred to as a “diet IEP,” and I think that’s a pretty accurate description!
Who would use a 504 plan?
Any child in a public school system could benefit from a 504 plan for a variety of reasons. One of the most important functions of a 504 plan is allowing for short-term or specific accommodations for a child who doesn’t qualify for an IEP. Here are just a few examples:
- A student who has hearing aids and needs an FM system or a seat near the teacher
- A student who has visual impairments and needs to sit close to the board
- A student with ADHD who needs visual reminders to stay on task or additional time to complete tests
- A student with a broken arm who needs notes typed for them while they are in a cast
- A student with cancer who needs to receive homebound services while they are immunocompromised
- A student with a concussion who has screen time restrictions and needs shorter school days for a while
- A student with a sprained ankle who needs to sit out during PE
- A student with allergies who needs preferential seating in the school lunchroom so they don’t come in contact with allergens
- A student with a sensory processing disorder who needs to have sensory breaks during the school day
While this list is just a sampling of the scenarios where a 504 could be used, it’s easy to see that a 504 plan could be something that any child may benefit from at one point in time or another.
What’s the difference between an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and a 504 Plan?
While IEPs are more commonly understood, 504 plans have actually been around since the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was passed under President Richard Nixon. According to the U.S. Department of Education, “The Section 504 regulations require a school district to provide a ‘free appropriate public education’ (FAPE) to each qualified student with a disability who is in the school district’s jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. Under Section 504, FAPE consists of the provision of regular or special education and related aids and services designed to meet the student’s individual educational needs as adequately as the needs of nondisabled students are met.” Without the protections of Section 504, schools would not be legally required to allow students access to accommodations that keep them safe and help them succeed in the classroom.
How do I get my child a 504 Plan?
- The first step is to contact your school’s 504 coordinator. If you don’t know who that is, you can email your principal instead. Request an evaluation for a 504 plan in writing. A school cannot initiate the process based on a verbal request.
- Submit any medical records or outside testing you have to support why your child requires accommodations. This can be a diagnosis letter from a psychologist, a note from your pediatrician, documentation from a physical therapist, etc. This documentation helps your child’s school decide what type of educational evaluation is appropriate.
- The school will conduct an evaluation and review the documentation you submitted. For some requests, this may be a very quick process. In other situations, they may need to complete standardized testing to see if your child’s needs would better be served with an IEP.
- Once this review and any additional testing is completed, an eligibility meeting will be scheduled. Parents are a crucial part of the team when determining appropriate accommodations for their child. So make sure your concerns are written out for the eligibility team to consider.
- If your child is eligible for a 504 plan, a document will be drafted with the accommodations the school recommends. It is the parent’s right to agree or disagree with the proposed accommodations.
- Once the 504 plan has been agreed upon by the school and parents, the accommodations will be provided by the school. These accommodations should be reviewed regularly to determine if they need to be changed.
Navigating the world of special education services can be very overwhelming. It’s important to remember that schools want to do everything they can to help students succeed. However, teachers are not legally allowed to single children out for accommodations without the eligibility process. That’s why it is so important for parents to know and understand the laws surrounding special education services!
Additional Resources:
- Parent Guide to 504s
- FAQs about Educational 504 Plans
- Alabama’s 504 Guidelines
- UAB’s tips for IEPs and 504 Plans
