Section 504 Information

What is a 504 Plan?

A student is entitled to a Section 504 Accommodation Plan if he/she has an identified disability and/or impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This plan provides the student with accommodations that will ensure his/her academic success and access to the learning environment.

What is the difference between an IEP and a 504 Plan?

IEP Defined

The Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) is 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 (modifications, materials, techniques, adaptations in instructional methods, physical setting and environment) and related services (speech-language, audiology,psychological, physical and occupational therapy, recreation, counseling, transportation etc)

Modifications do change what the student is expected to master.

504 Plan Defined

The 504 Plan is a plan developed to ensure that a child who has a disability identified under the law and is attending an elementary or secondary educational institution receives accommodations that will ensure their academic success and access to the learning environment. Accommodations do not change what the student is expected to master.

Subtle but Important Differences

Not all students who have disabilities require specialized instruction. For students with disabilities who do require specialized instruction, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) controls the procedural requirements, and an IEP is developed. The IDEA process is more involved than that of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and requires documentation of measurable growth. 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 document is created to outline their specific accessibility requirements. Students with 504 Plans do not require specialized instruction, but, like the IEP, a 504 Plan should be updated annually to ensure that the student is receiving the most effective accommodations for his/her specific circumstances.

504 Coordinators

McDowell Early College: Terri Ingle
McDowell Academy for Innovation: Melanie Rose
McDowell High School: Christine Houlihan, Lyndsay Morris, Kendall Waugh
West McDowell Middle School: Lora Atkins and Ellen Miller
East McDowell Middle School: Joshua Williams and Ashley Bartlett
Eastfield Global Magnet School: Sally Cocklin
Glenwood Elementary School: Betty Ross
Marion Elementary School: Jill King
Nebo Elementary School: Tim Partlow
North Cove Elementary: Summer Ollis
Pleasant Gardens Elementary School: Rachael Stewart
West Marion Elementary School: Wendy Gaffigan
Old Fort Elementary School: Kristin Bearden

Forms