How to make school to provide 504 accommodations

[Anonymous]

OP if it’s any consolation, my 10th ADHD grader has had a 504 since first grade and none of his HS teachers actually follow anything listed. Every time this comes up he is blamed for not asking for his accommodations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP if it’s any consolation, my 10th ADHD grader has had a 504 since first grade and none of his HS teachers actually follow anything listed. Every time this comes up he is blamed for not asking for his accommodations.

This is not legal. You and your son asked for 504 accommodations at the 504 table. He does not also have to ask for them in front of his classmates in the classroom each time he wants to use them.

Most students need help from parents to learn how to politely remind teachers about their accommodations. There is a power dynamic in the classroom that makes it difficult and scary to do this, but 504 plans are a legal obligation the school must meet. The teacher must comply with the plan.

Please support your DC by helping him draft an email to his teacher stating that he wants to regularly receive his accommodation. For example, if he has testing accommodations, he should email that he has a 504 plan with extra time (plus whatever other accoms - small group, use of computer or calculator, test on paper, etc.) and offer a time when he can finish the extra time on the test - at lunch, after school, before school, during the next class or another class, etc.

Your DC should CC you on the email.

If the teacher declines to provide the accommodation, you can help by forwarding the refusal to comply with the 504 plan to the principal, ccing the teacher and your DC, and writing short, polite note informing him/her that the school is "out of compliance" with the 504 and asking that the principal provide the teacher with the necessary professional support to "bring the school back into compliance so that I do not have to resort to due process options."

Section 504, together with IDEA and the ADA protect kid's civil right to access and benefit from an important public good - free public education. Students are our nation's most important human capital investment - an investment made in order to create people who can make their greatest and best contribution to our future society. We all loose out when that doesn't happen. Please help your child see that he is worth demanding his civil rights so that he can develop his future. Helping him learn to self-advocate in this way is important for college and the workplace, where he will also have rights to class & campus accommodation and will develop those with the college disability office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What would happen if the test was pulled at time? Would she fail the test? If so- she needs extra time. But if she just wants a few extra minutes to add supporting details that will help her get an “A” on the test- this is not a need for extended time. Maybe first try working with a therapist or coach who will help her work in a timely manner. This will be far more beneficial for her in the long run (completing reports, spreadsheets, etc. expeditiously is a terrific job skill).

Schools need to be careful regarding the extended time accommodation due to the tremendous advantage it provides on the SAT. You would be surprised how many families cheat by paying thousands of dollars for a fake dx just to get extra time on the SAT. It is very easy to meet dx criteria for anxiety or adhd, so families think that dx = guarantees accommodations, which it doesn’t.

Best of luck to your daughter - she sounds like a very conscientious learner which will certainly benefit her in the big picture.

Getting a 504 or even an IEP with extended time does not guarantee extended time for SAT, AP, IB, etc.

That is true, but once the 504 or IEP is in place, the parent/student then requests the school to make an accommodation request to SAT, ACT, IB, etc. on the student's behalf. The process requires the school to share the 504/IEP plan. I have never seen SAT, ACT or IB decline to provide extra-time accommodations which are already on a plan. (Mostly because your school's team, who knows the child better than SAT, ACT or IB, has already met and made an individualized legal determination that the student is an eligible disabled student who needs a testing accommodation, so it creates legal liability for the testing company, who does not know your child, to second guess that judgment.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP if it’s any consolation, my 10th ADHD grader has had a 504 since first grade and none of his HS teachers actually follow anything listed. Every time this comes up he is blamed for not asking for his accommodations.

This is not legal. You and your son asked for 504 accommodations at the 504 table. He does not also have to ask for them in front of his classmates in the classroom each time he wants to use them.

Most students need help from parents to learn how to politely remind teachers about their accommodations. There is a power dynamic in the classroom that makes it difficult and scary to do this, but 504 plans are a legal obligation the school must meet. The teacher must comply with the plan.

Please support your DC by helping him draft an email to his teacher stating that he wants to regularly receive his accommodation. For example, if he has testing accommodations, he should email that he has a 504 plan with extra time (plus whatever other accoms - small group, use of computer or calculator, test on paper, etc.) and offer a time when he can finish the extra time on the test - at lunch, after school, before school, during the next class or another class, etc.

Your DC should CC you on the email.

If the teacher declines to provide the accommodation, you can help by forwarding the refusal to comply with the 504 plan to the principal, ccing the teacher and your DC, and writing short, polite note informing him/her that the school is "out of compliance" with the 504 and asking that the principal provide the teacher with the necessary professional support to "bring the school back into compliance so that I do not have to resort to due process options."

Section 504, together with IDEA and the ADA protect kid's civil right to access and benefit from an important public good - free public education. Students are our nation's most important human capital investment - an investment made in order to create people who can make their greatest and best contribution to our future society. We all loose out when that doesn't happen. Please help your child see that he is worth demanding his civil rights so that he can develop his future. Helping him learn to self-advocate in this way is important for college and the workplace, where he will also have rights to class & campus accommodation and will develop those with the college disability office.

PP here. Thanks for this. We are working on many of these things. I know teachers are overworked and wonder how many kids have plans at his school.

The 50% rule was hiding some of my child’s issues unfortunately. Getting a zero now for an assignment a teacher won’t let him turn in late (even though in the plan) completely tanks his grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP if it’s any consolation, my 10th ADHD grader has had a 504 since first grade and none of his HS teachers actually follow anything listed. Every time this comes up he is blamed for not asking for his accommodations.

This is not legal. You and your son asked for 504 accommodations at the 504 table. He does not also have to ask for them in front of his classmates in the classroom each time he wants to use them.

Most students need help from parents to learn how to politely remind teachers about their accommodations. There is a power dynamic in the classroom that makes it difficult and scary to do this, but 504 plans are a legal obligation the school must meet. The teacher must comply with the plan.

Please support your DC by helping him draft an email to his teacher stating that he wants to regularly receive his accommodation. For example, if he has testing accommodations, he should email that he has a 504 plan with extra time (plus whatever other accoms - small group, use of computer or calculator, test on paper, etc.) and offer a time when he can finish the extra time on the test - at lunch, after school, before school, during the next class or another class, etc.

Your DC should CC you on the email.

If the teacher declines to provide the accommodation, you can help by forwarding the refusal to comply with the 504 plan to the principal, ccing the teacher and your DC, and writing short, polite note informing him/her that the school is "out of compliance" with the 504 and asking that the principal provide the teacher with the necessary professional support to "bring the school back into compliance so that I do not have to resort to due process options."

Section 504, together with IDEA and the ADA protect kid's civil right to access and benefit from an important public good - free public education. Students are our nation's most important human capital investment - an investment made in order to create people who can make their greatest and best contribution to our future society. We all loose out when that doesn't happen. Please help your child see that he is worth demanding his civil rights so that he can develop his future. Helping him learn to self-advocate in this way is important for college and the workplace, where he will also have rights to class & campus accommodation and will develop those with the college disability office.

PP here. Thanks for this. We are working on many of these things. I know teachers are overworked and wonder how many kids have plans at his school.

The 50% rule was hiding some of my child’s issues unfortunately. Getting a zero now for an assignment a teacher won’t let him turn in late (even though in the plan) completely tanks his grade.

As another 504 parent, I sigh in recognition of the issues with real life administration of 504 plans! So much is teacher dependent, and so much requires a parent to pop in on email, and copy counselors and admin, to ensure compliance.

While many teachers and whole departments in MCPS are good, even establishing automatic extended assignment due dates when the assignment is given, we have faced a few recurring problems: World Language Departments!!! One must request accommodation over and over (because they fear a student will fall behind, but still, let the student manage their life); they are disorganized and give short notice for tests and for specific content covered by tests. Math/Science: Better with announcing tests in advance and what they content is, but they emphasize test security over student accommodation and as a result arbitrarily determine which section of tests they hand out for class time vs extended time, thereby denying the disabled student the opportunity to review all questions and allocate time as a non-disabled student would. One thing that never fails to irk me is that for every test, the extended time student is required to approach the teacher and work out a plan to get their extended time. I wish the teachers would plan it and consult with the student about whether the plan works. The self-advocacy required to actually get accommodations is a total emotional and cognitive overload for students with disabilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP. Thanks all. Yes, I am sure it was full neuropsyc in 4th grade. We paid about $5k. It was not really intuitive to repeat the test to support the request for 504. The fact that she is on medication managed by a licensed psychiatrist demonstrates that she has ADHD.

You all convinced me that she needs to be tested again. We will do that, but testing is expensive!

You shouldn’t need to repeat the test - as my child’s doctor has said - ADHD isn’t a thing that goes away so a test from earlier should still stand. I would recommend hiring an education consultant to help you advocate.

While it doesn’t go away, between ES and HS many students will learn enough strategies that they need fewer supports. It would be inappropriate to write a 504 plan based on testing from five years ago. They are rewritten each year because kids’ needs evolve that quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What would happen if the test was pulled at time? Would she fail the test? If so- she needs extra time. But if she just wants a few extra minutes to add supporting details that will help her get an “A” on the test- this is not a need for extended time. Maybe first try working with a therapist or coach who will help her work in a timely manner. This will be far more beneficial for her in the long run (completing reports, spreadsheets, etc. expeditiously is a terrific job skill).

Schools need to be careful regarding the extended time accommodation due to the tremendous advantage it provides on the SAT. You would be surprised how many families cheat by paying thousands of dollars for a fake dx just to get extra time on the SAT. It is very easy to meet dx criteria for anxiety or adhd, so families think that dx = guarantees accommodations, which it doesn’t.

Best of luck to your daughter - she sounds like a very conscientious learner which will certainly benefit her in the big picture.

Getting a 504 or even an IEP with extended time does not guarantee extended time for SAT, AP, IB, etc.

That is true, but once the 504 or IEP is in place, the parent/student then requests the school to make an accommodation request to SAT, ACT, IB, etc. on the student's behalf. The process requires the school to share the 504/IEP plan. I have never seen SAT, ACT or IB decline to provide extra-time accommodations which are already on a plan. (Mostly because your school's team, who knows the child better than SAT, ACT or IB, has already met and made an individualized legal determination that the student is an eligible disabled student who needs a testing accommodation, so it creates legal liability for the testing company, who does not know your child, to second guess that judgment.)

I saw it three times as an AP teacher in MCPS. Once I agreed with their determination. The other two times, I was surprised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What would happen if the test was pulled at time? Would she fail the test? If so- she needs extra time. But if she just wants a few extra minutes to add supporting details that will help her get an “A” on the test- this is not a need for extended time. Maybe first try working with a therapist or coach who will help her work in a timely manner. This will be far more beneficial for her in the long run (completing reports, spreadsheets, etc. expeditiously is a terrific job skill).

Schools need to be careful regarding the extended time accommodation due to the tremendous advantage it provides on the SAT. You would be surprised how many families cheat by paying thousands of dollars for a fake dx just to get extra time on the SAT. It is very easy to meet dx criteria for anxiety or adhd, so families think that dx = guarantees accommodations, which it doesn’t.

Best of luck to your daughter - she sounds like a very conscientious learner which will certainly benefit her in the big picture.

Getting a 504 or even an IEP with extended time does not guarantee extended time for SAT, AP, IB, etc.

That is true, but once the 504 or IEP is in place, the parent/student then requests the school to make an accommodation request to SAT, ACT, IB, etc. on the student's behalf. The process requires the school to share the 504/IEP plan. I have never seen SAT, ACT or IB decline to provide extra-time accommodations which are already on a plan. (Mostly because your school's team, who knows the child better than SAT, ACT or IB, has already met and made an individualized legal determination that the student is an eligible disabled student who needs a testing accommodation, so it creates legal liability for the testing company, who does not know your child, to second guess that judgment.)

I saw it three times as an AP teacher in MCPS. Once I agreed with their determination. The other two times, I was surprised.

When was this - in the last 5 years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP. Thanks all. Yes, I am sure it was full neuropsyc in 4th grade. We paid about $5k. It was not really intuitive to repeat the test to support the request for 504. The fact that she is on medication managed by a licensed psychiatrist demonstrates that she has ADHD.

You all convinced me that she needs to be tested again. We will do that, but testing is expensive!

You shouldn’t need to repeat the test - as my child’s doctor has said - ADHD isn’t a thing that goes away so a test from earlier should still stand. I would recommend hiring an education consultant to help you advocate.

While it doesn’t go away, between ES and HS many students will learn enough strategies that they need fewer supports. It would be inappropriate to write a 504 plan based on testing from five years ago. They are rewritten each year because kids’ needs evolve that quickly.

The school must gather data from many sources other than psychoed testing to determine accommodations.

Psychoed testing does not need to be done for a 504 plan, and if the school believes it does then it has a legal obligation to provide it free of charge.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I was traveling last week and hence, the delayed response. Thank you all for very useful comments. I reached to school requesting a 504. They responded that we should provide additional data. If no, additional data they warned that the outcome may be the same. I responded that I would like school to share with me notes from their investigation last year. I remember that they mentioned that they spoke with teachers. Those notes have never been shared with us. We are planning to share the neurophyc report from 5th grade, DD’s prior accommodations at her private school (she moved to MCPS at 7th grade. But because of the pandemic, she did not need a 504 in 7-8th grade) and her texts to me asking for help when she studied really hard but was not able to finish half of the tests on time in numerous instances. I also told DD that if school wants to speak with her, she should decline politely and request that she can talk when one of her parents is present. Last year, the counselor spoke with her, and partly based on that conversation, they decided she was not eligible for a 504 plan.

What else can I do until I gather the data? Thank you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I was traveling last week and hence, the delayed response. Thank you all for very useful comments. I reached to school requesting a 504. They responded that we should provide additional data. If no, additional data they warned that the outcome may be the same. I responded that I would like school to share with me notes from their investigation last year. I remember that they mentioned that they spoke with teachers. Those notes have never been shared with us. We are planning to share the neurophyc report from 5th grade, DD’s prior accommodations at her private school (she moved to MCPS at 7th grade. But because of the pandemic, she did not need a 504 in 7-8th grade) and her texts to me asking for help when she studied really hard but was not able to finish half of the tests on time in numerous instances. I also told DD that if school wants to speak with her, she should decline politely and request that she can talk when one of her parents is present. Last year, the counselor spoke with her, and partly based on that conversation, they decided she was not eligible for a 504 plan.

What else can I do until I gather the data? Thank you

Do you or your DD have any correspondence with teachers about the issue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I was traveling last week and hence, the delayed response. Thank you all for very useful comments. I reached to school requesting a 504. They responded that we should provide additional data. If no, additional data they warned that the outcome may be the same. I responded that I would like school to share with me notes from their investigation last year. I remember that they mentioned that they spoke with teachers. Those notes have never been shared with us. We are planning to share the neurophyc report from 5th grade, DD’s prior accommodations at her private school (she moved to MCPS at 7th grade. But because of the pandemic, she did not need a 504 in 7-8th grade) and her texts to me asking for help when she studied really hard but was not able to finish half of the tests on time in numerous instances. I also told DD that if school wants to speak with her, she should decline politely and request that she can talk when one of her parents is present. Last year, the counselor spoke with her, and partly based on that conversation, they decided she was not eligible for a 504 plan.

What else can I do until I gather the data? Thank you

Do you or your DD have any correspondence with teachers about the issue?

No. When we reached out to the math teacher last year, she said she needed to discuss the issue with school counselor. That was the only communication we had. School said they discussed with teacher(s), and decided no need for accommodations.

[Anonymous]

OP, be prepared to appeal and make clear to the school that you will be appealing. The admin at your school sounds awful—I’m sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP if it’s any consolation, my 10th ADHD grader has had a 504 since first grade and none of his HS teachers actually follow anything listed. Every time this comes up he is blamed for not asking for his accommodations.

This is not legal. You and your son asked for 504 accommodations at the 504 table. He does not also have to ask for them in front of his classmates in the classroom each time he wants to use them.

Most students need help from parents to learn how to politely remind teachers about their accommodations. There is a power dynamic in the classroom that makes it difficult and scary to do this, but 504 plans are a legal obligation the school must meet. The teacher must comply with the plan.

Please support your DC by helping him draft an email to his teacher stating that he wants to regularly receive his accommodation. For example, if he has testing accommodations, he should email that he has a 504 plan with extra time (plus whatever other accoms - small group, use of computer or calculator, test on paper, etc.) and offer a time when he can finish the extra time on the test - at lunch, after school, before school, during the next class or another class, etc.

Your DC should CC you on the email.

If the teacher declines to provide the accommodation, you can help by forwarding the refusal to comply with the 504 plan to the principal, ccing the teacher and your DC, and writing short, polite note informing him/her that the school is "out of compliance" with the 504 and asking that the principal provide the teacher with the necessary professional support to "bring the school back into compliance so that I do not have to resort to due process options."

Section 504, together with IDEA and the ADA protect kid's civil right to access and benefit from an important public good - free public education. Students are our nation's most important human capital investment - an investment made in order to create people who can make their greatest and best contribution to our future society. We all loose out when that doesn't happen. Please help your child see that he is worth demanding his civil rights so that he can develop his future. Helping him learn to self-advocate in this way is important for college and the workplace, where he will also have rights to class & campus accommodation and will develop those with the college disability office.

PP here. Thanks for this. We are working on many of these things. I know teachers are overworked and wonder how many kids have plans at his school.

The 50% rule was hiding some of my child’s issues unfortunately. Getting a zero now for an assignment a teacher won’t let him turn in late (even though in the plan) completely tanks his grade.

Turn in the assignment any way by attachment to email. This is a completely unacceptable violation of the 504 plan and should be documented. If your student has "extended deadlines" or 50% extra time on assignments" (very common and educational best practice that students receive instruction with same accommodations as testing), he/she should simply complete the assignment and hand it in in class in whatever way the teacher requested for the original assignment (in person, upload, etc.). If the online link for submitting assignments is closed, your student should instead attach the assignment as a pdf and write a short note to the teacher explaining how they tried to turn it in and why they could not. (e.g. submitted this to you in class but you rejected it). The email should also contain a short, polite reminder that extended deadline or extra time is part of the 504 plan and thus the submission should be graded as "timely".

Your student NEVER needs to ask permission for extra time or extended deadline on an assignment if that is an accommodation on the plan. The student should complete the assignment and document turning it in (or attempting to do so). Put the ball in the teacher's court - let her reply by email that she won't accept. Let her tell student in class that she won't accept then document that refusal to the principal and CC.

I have a 3 strike system - first refusal generates a polite email reminder about the 504
obligation. If the teacher doubles down and still refuses (strike 2), that refusal is forwarded to the principal with a request to assist the teacher to comply with 504. If the issue is not rectified within 24 hours, then I forward the teacher/principal email chain to the associate superintendent and ask that he/she provide resources to bring the school into compliance.

I have literally never been turned down after strike 3. If I were to be, I would consider filing a formal state or federal complaint.

Teachers who do this are bullies and will continue to do it until it becomes clear that their failure to comply is costly to them professionally. No one wants to have their mistakes continually forwarded to their boss or their boss's boss.

That said, I know teachers are human, and all humans make mistakes. That is why I always start with a polite reminder and second chance for the teacher.

The cycle of having a 504 plan that is then ignored by the school is a very costly one for students - it can create a deep sense of despair, hopelessness, disempowerment, demotivation, anxiety and disconnection from school. I have seen students become depressed, which subsequently needs to be addressed by anti-depressant medication and therapy. I have seen students stop attending class and doing homework. The bad grades, obviously have a terrible impact on grades, which in turn can threaten HS graduation, admissions to college, the quality of college acceptance, and/or the ability to get financial or merit aid for college. Any one of these have lifelong employment and financial impacts.

You have the power, via the 504 plan to stop it. And don't believe "504 plans are unenforceable". 504 is federal law and can be enforced in many ways - state and federal complaints or private suit. (Last year's Perez case broadens the ability to sue for monetary damages under 504 and the ADA.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP if it’s any consolation, my 10th ADHD grader has had a 504 since first grade and none of his HS teachers actually follow anything listed. Every time this comes up he is blamed for not asking for his accommodations.

This is not legal. You and your son asked for 504 accommodations at the 504 table. He does not also have to ask for them in front of his classmates in the classroom each time he wants to use them.

Most students need help from parents to learn how to politely remind teachers about their accommodations. There is a power dynamic in the classroom that makes it difficult and scary to do this, but 504 plans are a legal obligation the school must meet. The teacher must comply with the plan.

Please support your DC by helping him draft an email to his teacher stating that he wants to regularly receive his accommodation. For example, if he has testing accommodations, he should email that he has a 504 plan with extra time (plus whatever other accoms - small group, use of computer or calculator, test on paper, etc.) and offer a time when he can finish the extra time on the test - at lunch, after school, before school, during the next class or another class, etc.

Your DC should CC you on the email.

If the teacher declines to provide the accommodation, you can help by forwarding the refusal to comply with the 504 plan to the principal, ccing the teacher and your DC, and writing short, polite note informing him/her that the school is "out of compliance" with the 504 and asking that the principal provide the teacher with the necessary professional support to "bring the school back into compliance so that I do not have to resort to due process options."

Section 504, together with IDEA and the ADA protect kid's civil right to access and benefit from an important public good - free public education. Students are our nation's most important human capital investment - an investment made in order to create people who can make their greatest and best contribution to our future society. We all loose out when that doesn't happen. Please help your child see that he is worth demanding his civil rights so that he can develop his future. Helping him learn to self-advocate in this way is important for college and the workplace, where he will also have rights to class & campus accommodation and will develop those with the college disability office.

PP here. Thanks for this. We are working on many of these things. I know teachers are overworked and wonder how many kids have plans at his school.

The 50% rule was hiding some of my child’s issues unfortunately. Getting a zero now for an assignment a teacher won’t let him turn in late (even though in the plan) completely tanks his grade.

Turn in the assignment any way by attachment to email. This is a completely unacceptable violation of the 504 plan and should be documented. If your student has "extended deadlines" or 50% extra time on assignments" (very common and educational best practice that students receive instruction with same accommodations as testing), he/she should simply complete the assignment and hand it in in class in whatever way the teacher requested for the original assignment (in person, upload, etc.). If the online link for submitting assignments is closed, your student should instead attach the assignment as a pdf and write a short note to the teacher explaining how they tried to turn it in and why they could not. (e.g. submitted this to you in class but you rejected it). The email should also contain a short, polite reminder that extended deadline or extra time is part of the 504 plan and thus the submission should be graded as "timely".

Your student NEVER needs to ask permission for extra time or extended deadline on an assignment if that is an accommodation on the plan. The student should complete the assignment and document turning it in (or attempting to do so). Put the ball in the teacher's court - let her reply by email that she won't accept. Let her tell student in class that she won't accept then document that refusal to the principal and CC.

I have a 3 strike system - first refusal generates a polite email reminder about the 504
obligation. If the teacher doubles down and still refuses (strike 2), that refusal is forwarded to the principal with a request to assist the teacher to comply with 504. If the issue is not rectified within 24 hours, then I forward the teacher/principal email chain to the associate superintendent and ask that he/she provide resources to bring the school into compliance.

I have literally never been turned down after strike 3. If I were to be, I would consider filing a formal state or federal complaint.

Teachers who do this are bullies and will continue to do it until it becomes clear that their failure to comply is costly to them professionally. No one wants to have their mistakes continually forwarded to their boss or their boss's boss.

That said, I know teachers are human, and all humans make mistakes. That is why I always start with a polite reminder and second chance for the teacher.

The cycle of having a 504 plan that is then ignored by the school is a very costly one for students - it can create a deep sense of despair, hopelessness, disempowerment, demotivation, anxiety and disconnection from school. I have seen students become depressed, which subsequently needs to be addressed by anti-depressant medication and therapy. I have seen students stop attending class and doing homework. The bad grades, obviously have a terrible impact on grades, which in turn can threaten HS graduation, admissions to college, the quality of college acceptance, and/or the ability to get financial or merit aid for college. Any one of these have lifelong employment and financial impacts.

You have the power, via the 504 plan to stop it. And don't believe "504 plans are unenforceable". 504 is federal law and can be enforced in many ways - state and federal complaints or private suit. (Last year's Perez case broadens the ability to sue for monetary damages under 504 and the ADA.)

Extended time does not equal turn it in anytime you want. 🙄