504 plans - Educators

504 tips and information

• 504 plans exists to help students with disabilities or medical conditions better access general education

• A 504 plan is not part of special education - many students with a 504 don't meet the eligibility requirements for an IEP and don't need specialized instruction

• 504 plans give accommodations: how the students learn, not what they are learning

  • • Some examples include a quiet testing area for a student with ADHD, extra snack breaks for a student with diabetes, or quiet breaks for a student with anxiety

• The plan is written up by a team of specialists, like with an IEP

• Also like an IEP, there is a 504 meeting

• In your general education classroom, it is your obligation to know what accommodations a student has, and to make those accommodations available to them.

  • • 504 plans can be changed so it is a good idea to document how the accommodations are working

    • It is also a good idea to always let a substitute teacher know the accommodations of any student in your class (504 or IEP)

Here is a list of links on accommodations you might see as a general education teacher

Here is an article on the legal aspects of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

References

Morin, A. (n.d.). What is a 504 plan: A teacher's guide. Understood. Retrieved June 20, 2022, from https://www.understood.org/en/articles/504-plans-a-guide-for-teachers