Difference between 504 & IEP

[Plateau Mama]

Can some one explain to me the difference between a 504 & an IEP. For the life of me I can't figure out when one is used over another.

 

Some background. My son has a minor hearing loss. When he was in school he had a 504 for the hearing loss. This is our 4th year at home. He will stay home one more year and unless I can convince Dh otherwise he will go back to school the following year (7th grade).

 

Since coming home not only has his hearing lss progressed to him needing hearing aids, but he was also diagnosed with an Auditory processing disorder, so that will need to be added to his plan.

 

Are both of these covered under the 504 or does he need an IEP as well?

[Lucy the Valiant]

The 504 is for medical (not educational) special needs.

 

In your son's case, the auditory processing disorder would merit an IEP, and the hearing loss would merit a 504.

[psychmom]

504 is part of The Rehabilitation act and only includes in-class type accommodations. It's generally used with medical conditions and other disabilities that can impact on functioning in the classroom, such as ADHD. IEP falls under special education law and generally is tougher to qualify for, but also allows for more intervention. It generally is used when there is evidence of specific learning deficits, but there are exceptions.

 

As for your second question, I have no idea what his particular needs might be, but maybe someone else can chime in here. HTH...

[Slipper]

The 504 is for medical (not educational) special needs.

 

In your son's case, the auditory processing disorder would merit an IEP, and the hearing loss would merit a 504.

 

 

I agree with the above.

 

When all my girls were in school, my daughter with Celiac Disease needed a 504. It detailed make-up work for when she was sick, notice of snacks brought in, school supplies kept separate and lunches were gluten free.

 

My daughter with autism has an IEP. It details our goals for the year for her, therapy and additional help from adults.

 

An IEP can also include medical conditions, so you don't need both - just the IEP.

[zoobie]

This site is helpful for education law issues:

http://www.wrightslaw.com/blog/?p=122

[myfunnybunch]

A 504 plan is based on the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). It falls under civil rights law and was developed to ensure that a child with a disability is protected from disability-based discrimination and has access to the same educational supports and services as his or her peers. For example, this might include a sign interpreter, note taker, or listening device for a child so that she or he is able to understand the same lectures that are delivered to all other students in the class. An IEP falls under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and entitles students with qualifying disabilities to additional special education supports and services that are not available to their peers. Examples of IEP services for a student with hearing loss and auditory processing issues might include services from a speech and language pathologist, services which are not available to all student in the school.

[Plateau Mama]

The 504 is for medical (not educational) special needs.

In your son's case, the auditory processing disorder would merit an IEP, and the hearing loss would merit a 504.

 

 

That what I'm afraid of. It's so hard to get one plan in place, not to mention making sure they follow it. I don't look forward to doing it twice.

 

504 is part of The Rehabilitation act and only includes in-class type accommodations. It's generally used with medical conditions and other disabilities that can impact on functioning in the classroom, such as ADHD. IEP falls under special education law and generally is tougher to qualify for, but also allows for more intervention. It generally is used when there is evidence of specific learning deficits, but there are exceptions.

As for your second question, I have no idea what his particular needs might be, but maybe someone else can chime in here. HTH...

 

I know what accommodations he needs. I have a friend who is a sign language interpreter in a neighboring district. I also have a friend who subs in our district who is going to be our advocate at the meetings.

I agree with the above.

When all my girls were in school, my daughter with Celiac Disease needed a 504. It detailed make-up work for when she was sick, notice of snacks brought in, school supplies kept separate and lunches were gluten free.

My daughter with autism has an IEP. It details our goals for the year for her, therapy and additional help from adults.

An IEP can also include medical conditions, so you don't need both - just the IEP.

 

 

With just an IEP I can get everything I would with a 504?

 

When he was in school before we had the usual hearing accommodations, seating, verification that he knew the questions/assignment etc. He also had the amplification device.

 

This time around he will need:

 

Preferential Seating

Verification of hearing/understanding the assignment

Note Taker (not sure what this exactly is, but I've had two people say he needs it)

Laptop for essay questions, long writing assignments

Copy of textbooks at home so he can go over everything again

Allowed to record lectures so he can take notes later

Close captioning on when watching videos

 

I might also require a microphone for the teacher. There is a device that they can wear around their neck and it will amplify into his hearing aids directly.( I don't have an issue paying for it myself. ). But from previous experience I thing it will be hard to enforce the teachers using it.

 

Would all those be covered in an IEP?

 

[amo_mea_filiis.]

A 504 plan gives access to the general education curriculum- a child in a wheelchair needs a ramp to access the building, but can otherwise participate in the curriculum.

 

An IEP allows for changes in the placement, curriculum, etc., as well as access. So a child in a wheelchair with a brain injury needs a ramp to access the curriculum, but also needs changes because he cannot participate in the general curriculum.

 

504 protections are given in an IEP, but not the other way around.

 

Your list of accommodations sound like access only which could be provided for under a 504 only. 504 is much easier to get in place than IEP.

[Plateau Mama]

Your list of accommodations sound like access only which could be provided for under a 504 only. 504 is much easier to get in place than IEP.

 

Lordy, something is harder than a 504? It took me 6 months to get the 504 in place and they said from day one he needed one!

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Check out your state laws. You'll find legal time frames for things to be done.

 

Do everything in writing, keep a record, follow up in writing, etc. They tend to BS less when you do it in writing, and when you include parts of the law.

 

Anytime I requested a meeting or eval for my son, I did it in writing, and included a printout that highlighted their 30 day time limit to get on it.

[bettyandbob]

My oldest ds went to public high school. He had a 504 plan which covered attention and fine motor needs. He had severe fine motor deficits and I knew he needed a 504 plan, but I waited. At the end of the first week of school I was called because the teachers wanted him to have a 504 plan that provided a word processor in every classroom he used for his use. No one wanted to decipher his handwriting. He was also given priority seating for his attention.

 

Your description suggests your ds is going to need more than a little accommodation. He's going to need accommodations for his hearing, but he will need someone really checking on each of his classes to see if they are working and to monitor whether something different will work better. Additionally, he will need a specialist to provide interventions for the auditory processing.

 

If this were my ds returning to school I'd make a referral for sp Ed eval by mid year the year before he enrolls. Later than that and the proper evaluations will not be completed. Middle school is hard enough, you want whatever is needed for support up front.

[Plateau Mama]

My oldest ds went to public high school. He had a 504 plan which covered attention and fine motor needs. He had severe fine motor deficits and I knew he needed a 504 plan, but I waited. At the end of the first week of school I was called because the teachers wanted him to have a 504 plan that provided a word processor in every classroom he used for his use. No one wanted to decipher his handwriting. He was also given priority seating for his attention.

 

Your description suggests your ds is going to need more than a little accommodation. He's going to need accommodations for his hearing, but he will need someone really checking on each of his classes to see if they are working and to monitor whether something different will work better. Additionally, he will need a specialist to provide interventions for the auditory processing.

 

If this were my ds returning to school I'd make a referral for sp Ed eval by mid year the year before he enrolls. Later than that and the proper evaluations will not be completed. Middle school is hard enough, you want whatever is needed for support up front.

 

 

That is why I'm thinking about this now. As soon as I can register him for school I will start the process to get his 504 redone. Im not sure theywill evaluate him w/o him being registered.

 

I'm still hoping my husband will realize what a bad idea this is and let him stay home. Our middle school has close to 1300 kids. I think for a child with APD this is a nightmare. My son still remembers how horrible 1st grade was and there were only 18 kids. We tried to get him into a couple of smaller charter schools but he did not get in, which is why he is staying home one more year. My husband is thinking about doing a private school for a couple of years but I'm not sure this would be best for him since they are not obligated to give accommodations.

[wapiti]

I'm not so sure they mix. My ds had an IEP for years for speech services. But, when we discovered his heart condition, we got a 504 plan (regarding PE). It was a totally separate process, separate meetings with different personnel, etc. It did not get added on to his IEP.

[Shellydon]

You can either have an IEP OR a 504. If your child qualifies for an IEP, then you won't need the 504. A child with a hearing loss that is significant enough to require hearing aids automatically qualifies for an IEP.

[Mom-ninja.]

This thread has confused me even more. Oy.

 

What would a dyslexic get?

[zimom]

OP,

 

Push for the FM system (mic), and PLEASE do not pay for it yourself! The school system should most certainly provide this for your son, provide him with ones that connect directly into his own personal hearing aids to provide him with the best 'acoustic access' at school. They have funding for this (should). These systems are expensive and not your responsibility. Your responsibility is to provide him with the best hearing aids you can comfortably afford, which as I'm sure you found out, most insurance does not cover.

 

Pediatric audiologist in my prior life.

[Plateau Mama]

OP,

 

Push for the FM system (mic), and PLEASE do not pay for it yourself! The school system should most certainly provide this for your son, provide him with ones that connect directly into his own personal hearing aids to provide him with the best 'acoustic access' at school. They have funding for this (should). These systems are expensive and not your responsibility. Your responsibility is to provide him with the best hearing aids you can comfortably afford, which as I'm sure you found out, most insurance does not cover.

 

Pediatric audiologist in my prior life.

 

He does have the best hearing aids money can buy. Fortunatly our insurance pays $3000 every 4? Years. Didn't cover it all of course, but certainly helped. A lot.

 

I don't want to pay for the mic, but if they tell me no I will pay for it myself. I really want one that transmits directly to his hearing aids. When he was in school (per hearing aids) he had an FM system that sat on his desk. By 1st grade wears fighting using it and they tried to take it off his 504. Knowing once it goes off its harder to get back I held firm that It stay. So I hold have that to fall back on, especially since his hearing has obviously declined.

[zimom]

OP,

So happy to hear you have some HA coverage. So rare! I'll stay off my soapbox.

 

Anyway, back to the FM system. I probably worked with 6+ school systems, from extremely poor to medium for our state. All purchased the FM systems for the kids when I recommended them, although some needed more 'prodding' then others. Get your son's private audiologist to write a strongly worded letter recommending one to take to his meeting, cc'd to every possible person you can think at the school. I realize states may be different, but I really think this is one of those basic things schools are responsible to provide to allow a child to have the 'best acoustical access' for education.

 

Good luck!

[Plateau Mama]

OP,

So happy to hear you have some HA coverage. So rare! I'll stay off my soapbox.

 

Anyway, back to the FM system. I probably worked with 6+ school systems, from extremely poor to medium for our state. All purchased the FM systems for the kids when I recommended them, although some needed more 'prodding' then others. Get your son's private audiologist to write a strongly worded letter recommending one to take to his meeting, cc'd to every possible person you can think at the school. I realize states may be different, but I really think this is one of those basic things schools are responsible to provide to allow a child to have the 'best acoustical access' for education.

 

Good luck!

 

Thank you Zimom. My audiologist feels that every classroom in every school should have an FM system regardless if anyone "needs" it.

 

[Shellydon]

This thread has confused me even more. Oy.

 

What would a dyslexic get?

 

 

Dyslexia is not recognized in my local district. If the dyslexia causes enough of a problem that the child's learning is affected and the child falls 1-2 years behind their peers (as shown by testing), he/she can qualify for an IEP and special education services.

[zimom]

 

 

Thank you Zimom. My audiologist feels that every classroom in every school should have an FM system regardless if anyone "needs" it.

 

Agreed! On any given day, in the average k5 class, between fluid on the ears, other causes of fluctuating hearing loss, ADD, permanent hearing loss, language issues, and on and on, probably 20% or more of the kids NEED the fm system, all can benefit. The private school my son graduated from had them in all the k4 - about 4th grade classrooms, with the goal to keep expanding up.