What is a 504 Plan?
A 504 plan is a formal plan that schools use to “provide
supports and remove barriers for a student with a disability” (“Understanding
504 Plans,” 2019). These plans are ideal for students who do not need special
education or individualized instruction, but still need educational supports or
services. Students with disabilities are able to learn alongside their peers
with accommodations. These accommodations include “extended time on tests or
the ability to leave the classroom for short breaks” (“Understanding 504
Plans,” 2019). For example, students with ADHD might have something established
in their 504 plans that state that they need to sit in the front of the room. Students with dyslexia may also have more text-to-speech options available to them as part of their 504 plan.
Students do not need a full evaluation to receive a 504
plan, but many of them receive one. 504 plans are usually issued to students who need academic
support, but do not qualify for special education. Schools look at students’
medical diagnoses, grades, tests scores, and teacher recommendations when determining
eligibility for 504 plans. Parents can request a meeting with the school’s
coordinator to discuss what supports may be appropriate (“Understanding 504
Plans,” 2019).
504 plans are covered under section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act. This law states that all students have the right to a free appropriate
public education (FAPE). Under the law, parents do not have to be in meetings
for 504 plans, but they must be notified when an evaluation for a disability occurs ("Understanding 504 Plans," 2019).
What is included in
the plan?
A 504 plan includes a student’s specific accommodations,
supports, or services. The plan also includes the names of the people who will
provide each service. For example, the plan might specify that the teacher is
responsible for providing the student with a quiet area for taking tests and
completing individual work. These plans are flexible, so they can include the
same kind of accommodations as IEPs. However, this flexibility gives the school
the power to decide what is and is not included in the plan (District of
Columbia State Board of Education).
A sample 504 plan can be found here.
What is an IEP?
An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is exactly as the
name implies. Each IEP is designed to meet a student’s exact needs. An IEP is a
legal document that lays out special education instruction. It also specifies
the supports and services that students with disabilities need to make progress
and succeed in school (“Learning about IEPs,” 2019). IEPs are covered by the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Students who are pursuing an IEP must undergo a full evaluation.
The results allow students and their families to work with schools to create a
specific plan that is tailored to the student’s needs. Students might get
accommodations, such as extended time on tests, speech-language therapy, or
assistive technology ("Learning about IEPs, 2019). IEPs also give students and their families certain legal
protections. Parents are allowed to be involved in decisions that affect their
student’s education, as well as school discipline ("Learning about IEPs," 2019).
What is included in
the plan?
An IEP includes a student’s present levels of academic and
functional performance, as well as annual education goals and how they will be
tracked. The plan specifies the services that the student will receive and how
often. Students can receive both accommodations and modifications with their IEPs.
Accommodations are any changes to a student’s learning environment (District of Columbia Board of Education). This can
include anything from the student being able to sit in a certain area of the
classroom (usually the front) to going to a private, quiet room to take tests
and quizzes. Modifications are any changes to what a student is expected to learn or know (District of Columbia Board of Education). For example, students with IEPs are often monitored by their individual progress rather than their progress in relation to other students in the class.
A sample IEP can be found here.
District of
Columbia State Board of Education. “Understanding the Differences: IEP vs. 504
Plan.” Retrieved from https://sboe.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/sboe/publication/attachments/Understanding%20the%20Differences%20-%20IEP%20vs%20504%20Plan%20.pdf
The Understood
Team. (2019). “Learning about IEPs.” Understood.
Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/ieps/what-is-an-iep
The Understood
Team. (2019). “Understanding 504 Plans.” Understood.
Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/504-plan/understanding-504-plans
Understanding
Special Education. (2016). “A Parent Guide to Special Education, the IEP
Process and School Success.” Retrieved from https://www.understandingspecialeducation.com/
Hi Courtney,
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated your post as I felt you supplemented your written post with visual aids that allowed for me to walk away from reading your blog with a more concrete understanding of the difference between a 504 and IEP plan. Personally, I did not know much about a 504 plan either prior to this week but I do know about the IEP plan. I was on an IEP from first to seventh grade and I can confirm that the timeline for annual goals being set and reevaluations taking place every three years is spot on! Since I started my IEP in the first grade, my IEP team reevaluated and made modifications to my plan as needed in the fourth grade. Three years later in seventh grade, my team had determined that I have made a significant amount of improvement and decided to take me off of the IEP. My hope is that me being a part of this program will allow for me to better connect and relate to my students that may be going through the same thing.
-Bre
Sorry Courtney, I had responded to your post initially using my other gmail account. Below is the same comment I wrote just using my student email address!
ReplyDeleteHi Courtney,
I really appreciated your post as I felt you supplemented your written post with visual aids that allowed for me to walk away from reading your blog with a more concrete understanding of the difference between a 504 and IEP plan. Personally, I did not know much about a 504 plan either prior to this week but I do know about the IEP plan. I was on an IEP from first to seventh grade and I can confirm that the timeline for annual goals being set and reevaluations taking place every three years is spot on! Since I started my IEP in the first grade, my IEP team reevaluated and made modifications to my plan as needed in the fourth grade. Three years later in seventh grade, my team had determined that I have made a significant amount of improvement and decided to take me off of the IEP. My hope is that me being a part of this program will allow for me to better connect and relate to my students that may be going through the same thing.
-Bre
Hello Courtney-
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog post. I think you did a great job organizing and explaining the differences of the 504 and IEP. I really appreciate you being honest and stating that you did not know much about a 504 and IEP prior to this assignment. I think 504 and IEP plans are something that will be very beneficial to understanding prior to becoming a teacher. I enjoyed the diagrams that you used and how your kept it short and sweet on your venn diagram.
I am excited to read more of you blogs in the upcoming weeks!
Thanks -
Chelsea
ReplyDeleteCourtney,
I am once again impressed with the amount of information you were able to collect on IEPs and 504s. You listed some great examples of more common accommodations used in a 504. I would agree with you that ADD/ADHD is the most common disability listed in a 504. I also really liked that you broke down what is provide in a 504 and provided a sample. What I will say is that every county, and sometimes different special education teachers, will use different formats for a 504. However, the standard information was provided in your example. One thing I would recommend is creating a binder to hold all of your 504 and IEP documents because you will be referencing this information several times throughout the school year. You also did a great job referencing some accommodations/modifications used in an IEP.
Your in depth research will serve you well once you get into a school system and have to attend a 504 or IEP meeting. Knowing this going into the classroom will be a great benefit for you and your students. One thing I found in my research I see you didn’t have is that both of these services are provided to students and their families free of cost.