requesting a 504 plan

[Anonymous]

DD's neuropsych evaluation came back and they are recommending that I request a 504 plan. I just wondered if anyone had experience doing that in MCPS - I already got the feeling that depending on results of the neuropsych - the school didn't necessarily feel they had to do anything. DD does average to below average in school - with a smattering of Ps and Is on her report card. Her reading level is currently below the target for first grade. How else can I prove academic impact?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD's neuropsych evaluation came back and they are recommending that I request a 504 plan. I just wondered if anyone had experience doing that in MCPS - I already got the feeling that depending on results of the neuropsych - the school didn't necessarily feel they had to do anything. DD does average to below average in school - with a smattering of Ps and Is on her report card. Her reading level is currently below the target for first grade. How else can I prove academic impact?

For a 504 you do not need to prove "academic impact". You may need to remind the school team this. Academic impact only applies if it was an IEP meeting.

For a Section 504 Plan, you need to demonstrate:

MENTAL OR PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT
Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfi gurement, or anatomical loss
affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal;
special sense organs, respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive,
digestive, genito-urinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or any mental or
psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional
or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.

MAJOR LIFE ACTIVITIES
Functions such as learning, caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking,
seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, and working.

SUBSTANTIALLY LIMITS
(1) Unable to perform a major life activity that the average student in the general
population can perform; or (2) significantly restricted as to the condition, manner,
or duration under which an individual can perform a particular major life activity as
compared with the condition, manner, or duration under which the average student in the
general population can perform the same major life activity.

504 is about leveling the playing field and providing equal access to the curriculum. Students with 504 Plans can be in above grade level classes, on grade level classes and below grade level classes (however, below grade level classes may signal the need for Special Education Services and thus an IEP is needed).

You need to be knowledgeable of your child's rights and what the law is at the meeting. You will get push back from MCPS but keep reminding the team you are not at an IEP meeting and the 504 meeting is about equal access. How can your child access the curriculum at hand if he/she does not have proper accommodations for his/her disability?

[Anonymous]

Thanks PP - that distinction was not made clear to me at the follow up to the neuropsych. Although they did give me a packet to read about special education in Maryland. I need to delve into that.

[Anonymous]

I just went through this. The first step is to contact your school principal for a meeting. At the meeting, you need to be the one prepared to discuss your concerns about your daughter's functioning in school. In other words, this is your meeting and you have to be prepared to bring people on board with your concerns, which you can only do if you can clearly articulate them. Undoubtedly, your neuropsych has great information for you to use in your preparation.

In my older son's case, this prompted some evaluations done by the school. There was a second meeting to review those results and made a decision as to a 504 or IEP - the decision was an IEP. In my younger son's case, this step was skipped because we knew from the first meeting that he needed a 504 and not an IEP and the school accepted our private neuropsych eval (which was a few years old, but still very on point).

In the next meeting, we decided on the accommodations (and in the case of my older son, services were decided as well). I found it very helpful to go in with the list of everything I wanted for my son. The school had some on its list that I didn't have and I had some on my list that the school didn't have. The plan was drafted and signed at that meeting.

I found that everything moves very quickly in the process. I think we completed my younger son's less than two weeks of the first phone call. With my second son, everything was done within thirty days of my calling.

[Anonymous]

This is OP again - I also wanted to ask if people thought the 504 plan was worth it. A lot of the recommendations are already being addressed in the EMT process. However, I know that 504 is more formalized.

[Anonymous]

Are you thinking about seeking an IEP in the future?
In our case the 504 plan was a joke in that nothing in it was implemented. But it was good to be able to point to the 504 plan in an IEP meeting to show the school wasn't following through on what was in the 504.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you thinking about seeking an IEP in the future?
In our case the 504 plan was a joke in that nothing in it was implemented. But it was good to be able to point to the 504 plan in an IEP meeting to show the school wasn't following through on what was in the 504.

the neuropsych didn't point to an IEP so not sure. we will be doing therapy with DD and once that is underway they may be able to further tease out what is going on (anxiety diagnosed, adhd diagnosis deferred until the anxiety is under better control). also will need to see how school goes next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP again - I also wanted to ask if people thought the 504 plan was worth it. A lot of the recommendations are already being addressed in the EMT process. However, I know that 504 is more formalized.

PP here. I think it depends on a lot of factors. With my oldest, I didn't need a 504 to get things done. And, he didn't fall through the cracks because he was struggling so much. So, I didn't do it until HS, when we got the IEP. OTOH, for my middle son, he does extremely well in school and it is easy for people to forget that he has disabilities and needs his accommodations. I find that a formalized plan gives me a reason and opportunity to communicate regularly and it does keep him in thr forefront of their minds. Also, by having a formal plan, it gives you a starting point to teach your child to advocate for himself or herself - though given that your child is in ES, that might not be on your agenda yet. There is only one thing that I think I have in my son's plan that he might not otherwise get if he didn't have the 504.

[Anonymous]

Yes, a 504 can be worth it. My son is doing great in school because of the extra time, seating, typing instead of writing, etc. Sometimes he doesn't always need the accommodations but knowing that they are there if he needs them also greatly decreases his stress so he can focus on the work. If you think it will help even a little then get it.