If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, they are entitled to special accommodations from the school, per Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Such accommodations, logically called 504 Plans, should be agreed in writing by your child’s school. The 504 Plan will not call for specialized instruction, but will expect your child’s teachers to make provisions that help your child manage their ADHD — for example, preferred seating away from distractions or extra time on tests.
If your child has a disability that does require specialized instruction, the relevant law is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the school should develop an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). The IEP requires documentation of measurable growth and will spell out specific educational goals.
It can be pretty overwhelming knowing how to go about getting the right services for your student. You’ll be doing a lot of research on your own. The purpose of this post is simply to provide a printable handout that will give you some idea of the sort of accommodations and requests you should consider for your child’s IEP or 504 Plan. Here it is: click and print!
HomeworkCoach offers limited Advocacy services, including IEP or 504 Plan review. Call us at 877-715-5442 if we can help.
