What Is a 504 Plan?
As we get closer to starting a new school year, it always seems more conversations are occurring regarding students having 504 plans. A 504 plan is derived from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which is a federal civil rights law to stop discrimination against people with disabilities. It is a blueprint of how a school and educators will provide support for a student with a disability and ensure that a student has equitable access to a learning environment. A 504 plan can be tailored to fit specific courses to provide the least amount of disruption. For example, a student might have a 504 focusing on art or physical education and not all academic subjects. The goal is to remove any barriers and support a student to succeed in the general education classroom.
According to the Department of Education, 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. Whatever limitations that student may have, they should be addressed as a team within the 504 plan.
504 Plan Vs. IEP
It is important to note that an Individualized Education Program, or IEP, and a 504 plan differ in a variety of ways. A few major differences are that the IEP was derived from the Individuals with Disabilities Act, IDEA, and is provided to students in grades kindergarten through 12, while a 504 plan is also K-12 and at a college level. There are thirteen disabilities included in IDEA, and to qualify for an IEP, a student must possess one or more of the disabilities identified, and the disability must impede the student’s ability to learn and their performance level in school. This is typically identified through testing the Child Study Team (CST) conducts. A 504 plan is available to students with a broader range of disabilities/mental health support and provides students a plan to stay in the regular classroom and meet success, while an IEP is a plan for a special education experience for the child at school.
Which Students Benefit From a 504 Plan?
There is a broad range of students that benefit from having a 504 plan. Students are eligible to have a 504 plan if they have a disability that limits daily life activities, especially within the classroom. These can be skills that need support in daily living, self-care, walking, hearing, seeing, and even breathing. In addition, students who have gross motor and fine motor difficulties, as well as attention issues, also can benefit from a 504. Basically, whatever limitations that student may have, they should be addressed as a team within the 504 plan.
Who Is Involved in the 504 Plan Process?
Typically, a request for a 504 comes from a parent. When a parent requests an evaluation, Section 504 holds the school accountable for responding to a parent’s request to an evaluation. The school must convene the 504 team to review the request and any other relevant information regarding the student and determine whether the student is eligible for accommodation. If the school determines the student to be eligible, the 504 team will also consider which accommodations are most appropriate. All school-level decisions will be rendered in the 504 legal documents composed at the initial post-evaluation meeting.
Similar to an IEP, there is a 504 team that meets. Those included on this team are parents, teachers, counselors, administration, and anyone else that may interact with the student throughout the day and be able to offer input.
During this meeting the students’ team discusses the strengths and weaknesses pertaining to abilities and skills that the student possesses or needs assistance in strengthening in a specific area. This conversation then helps outline what accommodations must be included in the 504 documents.
Main Components of a 504 Plan for School
In the 504 plan process, there are parents, teachers, and administrators involved. Typically, this may vary depending on the school district, but every school has a 504 template that they most feel comfortable using. After the initial evaluations and conversations take place, the 504 plan can meet and discuss what accommodations should be in place to help the students be successful. The interactions and evaluation report should help lead this conversation to best support the student.
A 504 or MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) team is created. These individuals come together to identify the student’s learning struggles and create accommodations to help the student meet success in the classroom. As a parent, there are a few steps they can take to get the ball rolling. They will need to document their child’s needs and write a formal request to the school’s 504 coordinator. In order to obtain a 504 plan, there are two major requirements. The first is that the child has a disability, and the second is that the disability interferes with the ability to learn in a general education classroom. Then a 504 evaluation will take place where the school will review all the paperwork and observe and discuss the student. The school then meets with the team, and if the child qualifies for a 504 plan, one will be created by all team members to best meet the needs of the child.
What Challenges did COVID Present to Fulfilling 504 Plan Requirements?
When COVID hit, and schools across the United States were shut down, no one had ever experienced anything like this. The educational system was flipped upside down as administrators worked together virtually to try to find a solution to carry on with academics, even though brick-and-mortar school doors were closed. To say this was a challenge is an understatement.
While many districts moved to a virtual learning platform, several students had difficulty logging on and sometimes interrupted services because of the difficulties related to COVID restrictions. Phone calls and emails were sometimes all that could be done to keep communication.
While this sounds like too little, at times this is all that educators were able to control. Like any other social, emotional, or academic area, students with a 504 also took a slide back. Students learning virtually and being supported was not the same as face-to-face instruction and interaction. Providing physical therapy to a student virtually deemed itself near impossible.
The challenges of COVID and 504 plans were immeasurable. It was a time that no one was prepared for, administrators, teachers, students, and parents alike, and that everyone “did the best they could.” Following 504 plans was challenging, and sometimes not possible. Schools were required to follow 504 plans and IEPs to the “greatest extent possible.” There was much learning loss due to the pandemic, and, as educators, we are still trying to close the gaps that the COVID-19 pandemic created.
As we continue to evolve in education, placing students in inclusive classrooms becomes more important. When school is over and students make their way into the real world, we need to ensure that they have the proper tools to find success. Giving supports via a 504 plan can help students have an experience in the general education classroom, providing them an opportunity to learn in an environment similar to life outside of school. As Dena Simmons stated, “Every child deserves an education that guarantees the safety to learn in the comfort of one’s own skin.”
504 plans can be helpful in achieving this and creating a learning environment where all students can find success. Students with 504 plans continue to be successful, with their teams supporting them with whatever is needed throughout the school day for them to show growth and success.
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