The Individuals with Disabilities Act mandates appropriate public education for children with disabilities, and ensures that special education services are provided to those children. It also protects the rights of those students and governs the interventions and other related services provided by schools. The purpose of the law is to ensure that, nation-wide, services are provided for eligible children, a system is established to hold agencies accountable for providing these services, and to give parents, teachers, and other critical stakeholders tools to improve the child’s education with consideration for their special needs. You can find more information about IDEA here. 

Replacing the No Child Left Behind Act in 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is a law passed with the purpose of providing quality education for all students, and ensuring all students have equal opportunities for success. According to the U.S. Department of Education, a few important provisions of this law include protections for students with special needs, high academic standards being used for all students to guarantee college and career readiness, assessments and information to monitor progress and implement new interventions in accordance with the new data and maintain accountability for a positive change in America’s lowest-performing schools. You can find more information on ESSA here. 

A Section 504 plan describes the services a student is to receive and the accommodations the student needs to appropriate access the educational program. The purpose of a Section 504 plan is to provide students with disabilities the support, services, and accommodations they need to succeed, and outlines how the school will provide them. It is an accessible civil rights law to prevent discrimination against disabled individuals. A 504 plan is available to students with any disability or barrier that impacts their ability to learn or function, and is meant to ensure that students can learn with their peers as opposed to learning separately.  Some examples of accommodations under a 504 plan include but are not limited to:

• Preferential seating

• Extended time on tests and assignments

• Verbal test-taking

• Physical/occupational therapy

• Verbal, visual, or technological aids

• Behavior management support

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a civil law that provides services and accommodations to students with disabilities, is of no cost to parents, and ensures that students with disabilities are given the special care they need. An IEP is designed for individual students through the collaboration of parents, school personnel, and other important stakeholders. It addresses the specific needs of disabled students and has clear, written expectations, goals, and requirements for eligibility.

Compared to a Section 504 plan, an IEP is more detailed and individual-focused. According to Erford (2018), an effective IEP will contain certain components: a measurement of performance levels (baseline), a statement of measurable goals and how they will be measured, an outline of services the student will need, a list of accommodations, and a clear timeline that defines a start date, the duration of services, the frequency of services, and where the services will take place. After the establishment of an IEP and a student's eligibility is determined for special education services, an RTI or MTSS framework is implemented.

RTI can be considered an early intervention tool designed to identify and address students who may need a little extra help before they can fall far behind. Students are monitored and their needs are addressed through a multi-tiered system, where each student is tiered based upon their needs. For example, if a student is not responding to Tier 1 instruction, they may be moved to Tier 2, where they will receive extra, small-group instruction and support from teachers and other stakeholders. If they do not respond to Tier 2 instruction, they will be moved to Tier 3, where they will receive intensive, individual instruction. Some important components of RTI are screening, progress monitoring, tiered instruction, high-quality, research-based instruction/interventions, differentiated instruction, and fidelity of implementation. 

Click here for a breakdown of the special education process that preceeds intervention. 

MTSS is more comprehensive than RTI and can include the three tiers of RTI, as well as social and emotional supports for students. Centered around monitoring student progress and addressing their needs, it is a proactive and preventative framework that integrates data and instruction to maximize student achievement and support students social, emotional, and behavior needs from a strengths-based perspective. MTSS offers a framework for educators to engage in data-driven decision making related to things like program improvement, high-quality instruction and intervention, social and emotional learning, and positive behavioral supports necessary to ensure positive outcomes for districts, schools, teachers, and students. Some important components are: screening, progress monitoring, multi-level prevention system, and data-based decision. Need more information?