Written by Jamie Bessette
Every once in a while I will have a parent request a 504 in addition to their child’s IEP so I feel it is worthy to spend a little time discussing the difference between the two. For starters, a Section 504 falls under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is considered a Civil Rights law. An IEP (Individual Education Plan) falls under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which falls under the Federal Department of Education. A 504 is a legally binding document that addresses the supports, also known as accommodations, a person needs within their school or work setting. A 504 can follow a person from being a K-12 student to college and then onto work. A 504 is usually put into place after a medical diagnosis, but it doesn't always have to be accompanied by a diagnosis. The purpose of a 504 is to provide supports so that a person’s disability can be accommodated within their environment; it is not a plan for progress. A 504 can be changed at any time and can be discontinued at any time. Within a school setting a school counselor or social worker will usually manage the 504 paperwork.
An IEP is also a legally binding document; it is specifically designed to the needs of a specific person. An IEP includes components that address specially designed instruction, goals of areas to work on that are specific to the student and how the student will progress within the curriculum. An IEP is just that, a plan for how the student will progress through the K-12 curriculum, therefore it does not follow a student once they leave the K-12 public school setting.
If your child has an IEP they went through an evaluation by a school team to determine if there was a disability and if they needed special education. This process does not need a doctor’s diagnosis. Some school districts will request you follow up with a doctor (at your own expense) but it is not required. A 504 also has an evaluation process but it is very simple and usually occurs at the same time the team writes the 504 plan.
An IEP contains goals that will be measured by a special education teacher, 504s do not contain goals. An IEP looks at specific needs and addresses changes to the general education curriculum and setting that your child will need in order to make progress within the general education curriculum. An IEP is provided by teachers with specific training in the area your child qualifies. A 504 does not have any of these components either.
Interestingly though, contained within an IEP is a 504. You’re thinking Huh? Let me explain. Accommodations that are identified within an IEP are considered 504 accommodations. So if you look at your child’s IEP there should be a page titled Accommodations and Modifications. The accommodations portion of that page is the 504 plan. That is why your child does not need both an IEP and a 504.
Now I said earlier that an IEP does not continue after K-12, so what happens if your child goes to college? Each college has a student support department (names may vary); bring the IEP or 504 written by the K-12 school to them for review. They will determine what accommodations can be provided within the college setting based on what was written on the accommodation page of the IEP or in the 504. They will then write a new 504 for your child, if they feel it is necessary. Unfortunately there are many accommodations that are provided in the K-12 setting that are not provided at the college level.
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