Before coming into special education I did not know the difference between IEPs and 504s. A common misconception is that IEPs and 504s are the same documents or if a student doesn’t qualify for one they cannot get the other. While both documents are meant to serve the needs of a child with a disability and they both provide a type of services or accommodations, they are not the same document and are not offered under the same laws. See below to not only see the difference between the two types of documents but also the details of who is part of the team, the components, and the importance of parent consent. See the additional resources tab for more information about IEPs and 504s.
IEPWhat is an IEP?IEP stands for Individualized Education Program. An IEP is a written statement and legally binding documents completed by an IEP team to identify a students needs and detail how a students needs will be met. IEPs are only offered to students who have been evaluated by the school district and identified to have a disability that is adversely affecting their educational progress. IEPs not only detail what services, accommodations, and modifications will be used to meet the child’s needs but are also aligned with Common Core State Standards. IEPs do not only address the academic needs of the child but may also address fine motor, gross motor, sensory, speech and language, behavioral, vision, hearing, social skills, or daily living skills. The IEP also details the environment that the child will receive services in, commonly referred to as the LRE (least restrictive environment). IEPs are reviewed annually and students are reevaluated for eligibility every 3 years. Who is the team of an IEP?The IEP team can vary from student to student and also may depend on what type of meeting is being held (annual plan review versus a 3 year eligibility evaluation). The basic requirements for an IEP team include the child’s parents/caregivers, a general education teacher, a special education teachers, and a district representative (often the school principal). Additional participants may include any related service providers (Behavior Analysts, Speech and Language Pathologists, Adapted PE Specialists) and an individual who can interpret and explain evaluation results, typically a school psychologist. Districts are required to inform parents who they are expecting to attend the meeting and also required to receive an excusal for any team members that cannot attend. Parents can bring additional participants to the IEP meetings as well including advocates and regional center supports. Just as the district is required to inform parents of attendees, parents are also encouraged to inform schools of additional participants they intend to bring. What are the components of an IEP?IEPs are composed of several components and how they look can vary from state to state depending on the IEP writing and storage software they use. A common software used in most of California is called SEIS (Special Education Information System). Student information: Student and family information and background. Below are the basic components of the IEP. Present Levels of Performance: Details levels for academics, communication, behavior/social skills, daily living, and vocational skills. Annuals Goals: Address the needs of the student and what the student will work on for the next year. Will have 2-3 objectives that lead up to the overall goal. Services: Details what services and how many minutes of those services the child will receive. Supplementary Aides/Services: May include any additional accommodations and modifications the child requires. Signature pages: There are two parts to the signature page - participation and consent. All members sign in participation of the meeting but this DOES NOT signify consent of the IEP. There is a separate section that pages will sign in consent to the IEP, sign in partial consent of the IEP, or sign to not give permission to implement the IEP. Parent Consent on IEPsThere are a few ways parents could not sign in consent: signing with the exception of, signing in disagreement with the entire document, or sign to deny the initiation of special education services. It is best practice to give parents the IEP to review after the meeting before expecting them to sign in consent with the document. If parents sign with exception of the expectation is for the IEP team to reconvene to discuss the exception and find a resolution that still meets the needs of the student with consent from the parents. Until parents sign in consent, the child is in what is called “stay put” and continues to receive their prior services and supports based on the previously consented IEP. If it is an initial IEP to determine services then the school cannot begin services until the parent signs in consent. If the school district believes a child requires services and parents deny services the school district can file a complaint with the state. If a school initiates a new IEP without parent consent, the parent can file a complaint through he state. Parents also have the right to request an independent evaluation from an outside company if they do not agree with assessment results. PlacementStudents with an IEP may be served under a variety of different placements.
During an IEP, typically after discussing present levels, goals, and services, the IEP team will discuss what placement will best meet the student's current needs while still providing appropriate access to general education curriculum and peers. This is called the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). LRE is not necessarily a straight line with general education being the best LRE but a spectrum and LRE being the best place that will support the students needs. Students are not stuck in the same placement for their entire educational career and can change placements after being reevaluated and it if the team determines a different placement will better fit the student's needs. |
504What is a 504?A 504 plan is a document that details the supports a child needs to have in order to access their school day just as well as their peers. A student must have a disability and it must interfere their ability to access their education (it is common for students who do not qualify for an IEP to have a 504 Plan). 504 plans are required to be available to students under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 504 plans are reviewed annually and students are reevaluated every 3 years or as needed. School may evaluate a child's needs for the 504 plan similar to the assessments completed for IEP eligibility. Students who have the following needs may qualify for a 504: health impairments (ex: diabetes, chronic asthma, etc.) , ADD/ADHD, mental health concerns, temporary disability (ex: broken hand), post-operative needs, Who is the team of a 504?The guidelines for team members for a 504 team are not strict as IEP team members. The 504 team must be composed of individuals who are familiar with the student, understand evaluation procedures, and special education services. Team members often include: the child’s parents, the general education teacher, a special education teacher, and a school site administrator. What are the components of a 504?Much like the requirements of necessary team members, the outline and components are not as strict as IEP documents. There is no universal outline that is used for a 504 plan. The 504 plan often contains the specific accommodations or services that the child needs, names of who will provide the accommodations or services, and names of the person responsible for ensuring the plan is implemented. Parent Consent on 504sWhile a 504 is not as formal as a document as the IEP, parent consent is still required to complete any assessments. Parent consent is also required in order to begin any services or accommodations as these are changes to the normal school day. If the school or the parents do not agree regarding the document they can complete a mediation process through the state. PlacementStudents with a 504 plan receive their education in the general education setting alongside their peers. If a student continues to struggle in the classroom with supports from the 504 plan, the student's 504 team can reconvene and determine if additional evaluations are required to consider additional services or a change of educational placement. |
Cited resources on this page
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html
https://sites.ed.gov/idea/
https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/differences-between-504-plan-and-individualized-education-program-iep#:~:text=There%20are%20significant%20differences%20between,and%20progress%20in%20the%20curriculum.
https://scdd.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2018/03/The-Difference-Between-IEP-and-504-Plans.pdf
https://www.understood.org/en/articles/the-difference-between-ieps-and-504-plans
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/placement-lre/
https://sites.ed.gov/idea/
https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/differences-between-504-plan-and-individualized-education-program-iep#:~:text=There%20are%20significant%20differences%20between,and%20progress%20in%20the%20curriculum.
https://scdd.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2018/03/The-Difference-Between-IEP-and-504-Plans.pdf
https://www.understood.org/en/articles/the-difference-between-ieps-and-504-plans
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/placement-lre/