Anyone have a 504 for a medical reason?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent of child with IEP.

My $0.02. Start by asking for an IEP. They'll feel like they won if they only give you a 504 which is less legally binding to them.

I can't speak to the college implications as I only have one child but don't you want to set your child up as best as possible while they learn to manage this? Do you really want them to go to a college for the sake of its name that will not provide any accommodations for a medical situation?

I have 2 kids who have been through a variety of undergrad and grad schools - some of them top 5. Both of them had 504s in HS and college - one for ADHD and one for a medical issue and depression.

A 504 plan is not a public part of your high school record it is not on your transcript and it would be illegal for any teacher to disclose it in a recommendation.

No admissions testing company (SAT, GRE, LSAT, ACT, etc.) is allowed to flag that you tested with accommodations.

Having accommodations on SAT or ACT is often a gateway to an easier procedural pathway getting the same accommodations on graduate exams like GRE, MCAT and LSAT. (Otherwise you may have to provide recent, expensive testing.)

Professional licensing exams like the Bar must also accommodate disabled students.

Having a history of a 504 plan makes it easier to get subsequent accommodations. Not having a 504 plan doesn’t make it impossible, because of course a person can become disabled at any point in their life or can become unable to compensate for their disability in other ways at any point, but it’s easier if you have a history if a 504 plan.

All colleges are required to make reasonable accommodations for disabled students under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Every college has a standard process for this - even the Ivies. Again, if you have a history of a 504, the process in the college might be easier. How colleges deliver these accommodations varies, but as previous PPs described, notetaking by a third party is a commonly available accommodation. At my son’s large public university, post -covid many lectures are still video-recorded for all students. DS prefers not to go to his large frosh Chem class and instead watch the video because then he can stop and start it and take notes and look things up instead, so his notetaking accommodation for this class really isn’t necessary. College classes operate differently and some accommodations are no longer needed but new ways can be added if necessary.

There is no college that can refuse to accommodate a medical condition. That would be illegal. You might argue with a college about what kind of accommodation is necessary, but they can’t refuse to accommodate (unless their argument is that you are not disabled.)

Diabetes, migraines, depression or anxiety or ADHD are all things that are commonly accommodated at college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of child with IEP.

My $0.02. Start by asking for an IEP. They'll feel like they won if they only give you a 504 which is less legally binding to them.

I can't speak to the college implications as I only have one child but don't you want to set your child up as best as possible while they learn to manage this? Do you really want them to go to a college for the sake of its name that will not provide any accommodations for a medical situation?

I have 2 kids who have been through a variety of undergrad and grad schools - some of them top 5. Both of them had 504s in HS and college - one for ADHD and one for a medical issue and depression.

A 504 plan is not a public part of your high school record it is not on your transcript and it would be illegal for any teacher to disclose it in a recommendation.

No admissions testing company (SAT, GRE, LSAT, ACT, etc.) is allowed to flag that you tested with accommodations.

Having accommodations on SAT or ACT is often a gateway to an easier procedural pathway getting the same accommodations on graduate exams like GRE, MCAT and LSAT. (Otherwise you may have to provide recent, expensive testing.)

Professional licensing exams like the Bar must also accommodate disabled students.

Having a history of a 504 plan makes it easier to get subsequent accommodations. Not having a 504 plan doesn’t make it impossible, because of course a person can become disabled at any point in their life or can become unable to compensate for their disability in other ways at any point, but it’s easier if you have a history if a 504 plan.

All colleges are required to make reasonable accommodations for disabled students under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Every college has a standard process for this - even the Ivies. Again, if you have a history of a 504, the process in the college might be easier. How colleges deliver these accommodations varies, but as previous PPs described, notetaking by a third party is a commonly available accommodation. At my son’s large public university, post -covid many lectures are still video-recorded for all students. DS prefers not to go to his large frosh Chem class and instead watch the video because then he can stop and start it and take notes and look things up instead, so his notetaking accommodation for this class really isn’t necessary. College classes operate differently and some accommodations are no longer needed but new ways can be added if necessary.

There is no college that can refuse to accommodate a medical condition. That would be illegal. You might argue with a college about what kind of accommodation is necessary, but they can’t refuse to accommodate (unless their argument is that you are not disabled.)

Diabetes, migraines, depression or anxiety or ADHD are all things that are commonly accommodated at college.

There have been several lawsuits over Bar Exam accomodations.

When tests are intentionally designed discriminate against slow test takers (sadly, this is extremely common), it gets controversial.

Example:
https://lawandcrime.com/lawsuit/second-circuit-rules-harvard-grad-with-anxiety-who-failed-bar-exam-twice-cant-sue-board-for-denying-her-extra-time/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nice that teachers / schols don't have to provide standard educational materials like lecture notes unless someone with a medical justification forces them to do it.

Notes in a traditional lecture are supposed to be taken by the students, because distilling key information is one of the most important skills taught at any learning level, and doing so actively, in real time, -can- be an excellent way to exercise that - for certain people under certain specific circumstances.

Learning differences, however, can mean these distillation skills need to be acquired and demonstrated in different formats, which is why traditional lecturing is not appropriate in all situations or for all students.

If we have to give everyone the lecture notes so that they understand what is happening or can keep up, chances are we are not teaching properly and need to reconsider our delivery or our entire format. The course as conceptualized might not be right for that group of students, for example, or there might be principles of universal design that could help work out a delivery system that is better for everyone, or more active involvement might be needed to help students grasp what is going on.

- College prof

I agree 100%. Why is why traditional lecture format is obsolete in the modern era of video and audio recording. "Flipped classroom" has taken over. Students should be given materials to study, and come to class prepared for discussion. Students should be paying attention in class, not furiously scribbling.

Writing/copying notes is great for learning. The slow act of writing helps the mind dwell on the content. Stenography is not that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent of child with IEP.

My $0.02. Start by asking for an IEP. They'll feel like they won if they only give you a 504 which is less legally binding to them.

I can't speak to the college implications as I only have one child but don't you want to set your child up as best as possible while they learn to manage this? Do you really want them to go to a college for the sake of its name that will not provide any accommodations for a medical situation?

My DD has a 504 for Autism. They said she did not need an IEP because she does not have any academic needs. They explained to me that IEP is only if the student has academic needs.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Do it for your child. Start with the IEP.