Working at my current school, more than half of my students
have an IEP or a 504. Coming up on my third year of teaching, I don’t think I
have ever really known the difference between the two. Researching more about
these two plans, I came across a lot of helpful resources that explained the
difference thoroughly.
504 Plans comes from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1073, “a federal law that prohibits organizations that receive federal money
from discriminating against a person on the basis of a disabilities” (Maryland.org).
The “504 plan modifies a student’s regular education program in a regular classroom
setting” (Bachrach, 2016). 504 plans require schools to make reasonable accommodations
for students with disabilities, so they can have the opportunity to participate
in school and school- related activities. The main focus of a 504 is how
the student can access learning and can accommodations be made to remove barriers
for the student. For example, if a student is wheel chair bound, time may be
built in their schedule, so they can have ample time to travel from class to
class (Nephcure, 2018). To obtain a 504 plan, a student can have any disability
and even if they do not qualify for an IEP, they can still obtain a 504 plan.
IEP, Individualized Education Plan, was the result of the
Individuals with Disabilities Act. This educational law requires students to
have 1 of 13 disabilities to obtain an IEP. An IEP provides students with a
specific disability special education related services to meet their learning
needs, which includes specialized instruction. The main focus of an IEP is what
the student is learning. The State can receive additional funding for eligible
students with an IEP. The IEP has written documentation that is required, and
specific guidelines must be followed.
504 and IEPs are at no cost to the parents and students.
Both require some form of parental involvement and consent for the student to
be evaluated for services, which happen annually. Both strive to meet the needs
of the student, so they can succeed in a classroom environment. These plans are
federally mandated and ensure that no student with a disability is
discriminated against.
References
Living with
Kidney Disease. (2018). Retrieved from https://nephcure.org/school-accommodations/
Maryland. Section 504 Plans. Retrieved from
http://mdod.maryland.gov/education/Pages/Section-504-Plans.aspx
Bachrach, S. J. (Ed.). (2016, September). 504 Education
Plans (for Parents). Retrieved from
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/504-plans.html
Hello,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful visuals in your blog. You found some great information on 504 Plans and IEPs. You are very insightful in pointing our the difference between the "how" (504 Plans) and the "what" (IEPs). This breaks it down to the core concepts that really set the two apart. I appreciate your example of the student in a wheelchair and how the 504 Plan can provide accommodations for them even though they may not require IEP services for other disabilities. I work with Infants and Toddlers who qualify for IFSPs who transition to IEPs at school aged four if they qualify. I have had several children who have been in wheel chairs with out any qualifying disabilities who are not eligible for IEPs and, as 504 Plans are not offered for preschool programs, the children do not qualify and usually start a school program later than other children who are able to transition to IEPs.
This response was by Julia btw...
DeleteHi Heather,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts this week on 504 and IEP plans! I really like how you broke down the difference between the two, stating 504 is the how versus IEP is the what. This helped me to make even greater sense of the differences between the two. I found myself nodding my head in agreement with your examples of accommodations to accessible learning versus what a student is learning. Also, excellent job on your Venn diagram! Clear, concise, and easily understood.
-Lisa
Hi Heather,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post. I appreciated your honesty about being a classroom teacher and not knowing much about IEPs and 504s. I am assuming that you didn't work with any special education students in your classroom, is that the right assumption? I really liked how you described the IEP and 504 process. I thought it was descriptive and helpful.
-Kathleen
Hello Heather-
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post. I found it interesting that with you being a classroom teacher and not having a lot of information provided to you about IEP and 504. It seems that many teachers are not familiar with IEP and 504 plans. Being someone that had a 504 in high school and having teachers that were not familiar made it extremely difficult for them to understand me and my educational needs. I am happy that you are in this class to learn more about 504 and IEPs as well as put the knowledge to good use in your class. I really liked how you explained the pure difference of a 504 and IEP. It helped me understand the information more clearly.
Thank you-
Chelsea