IEP Support

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) and a 504 Plan are two types of legal documents designed to support children with disabilities in their education. Both are governed by different parts of U.S. law and have different eligibility criteria and features.

In Massachusetts, as in the rest of the U.S., an IEP is covered by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It’s a plan or program developed to ensure that a child who has a disability identified under the law and is attending an elementary or secondary educational institution receives specialized instruction and related services.

An IEP includes:

1. A detailed assessment of the child’s present levels of academic achievement and functional performance.
2. Measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals.
3. A description of how the child’s progress towards meeting the annual goals will be measured and reported.
4. A statement of the special education, related services, and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the child.
5. An explanation of the extent, if any, to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and activities.

In Massachusetts, parents are key members of the IEP team. They work together with school personnel to develop, review, and revise the IEP. The state also provides resources to help parents understand and navigate the IEP process. For example, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provides a Parent’s Guide to Special Education that includes information about IEPs.

On the other hand, a 504 Plan refers to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This federal law prohibits discrimination based on disability in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance, such as public schools. A 504 Plan is designed for students with disabilities who do not require specialized instruction but need the assurance that they will receive equal access to public education and services.

A 504 Plan is less detailed than an IEP and typically includes accommodations and modifications to the learning environment to enable the child to access the general education curriculum. This could include things like preferential seating, extended time on tests, or modifications to the physical environment.

The key differences between an IEP and a 504 Plan are:

1. An IEP provides individualized special education and related services to students with disabilities who need special education, while a 504 Plan provides accommodations and modifications to students with disabilities who don’t need special education but need support to fully participate in school.
2. IEPs are covered under IDEA, which is a federal special education law. 504 Plans are covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which is a federal civil rights law.
3. The process of developing, reviewing, and revising an IEP is more formal and involves a team of individuals with knowledge about the student and the assessments data. A 504 Plan process is typically less formal, but should still involve individuals knowledgeable about the child, the meaning of the evaluation data, and the placement options.

In both cases, Massachusetts provides resources and support to parents to understand their child’s rights, the school’s responsibilities, and how to advocate for their child effectively.

Kid CenterEd provides support around IEPs from documentation like neuropsychological testing that can lead to increased services and advocacy to backup families in negotiations with school special ed teams.