School vent...

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Maggie: A 504 is for a child with a medical disability that could possibly affect their ability to access the general curriculum. They do not need a special curriculum, but they do need accommodations to make sure that there is a level playing field. For instance, a student with diabetes may have a 504 stating that they are to be allowed to use the bathroom whenever they ask, have a water bottle, test their blood sugar at certain times, not take exams if their blood sugar is under a certain number etc. A child in a wheelchair may have a 504 that states that they leave class 5 minutes early to navigate the hallways. A student with ADHD may have a 504 that states that they are to be allowed extra time on a test.

In all of these situations, the student is capable of learning the regular curriculum, they may just need some accommodations. When you have to start changing the curriculum, that is when you get into IEPs.

Kids can indeed make enough progress that services aren't warranted anymore. For example, I've had several students graduate out of occupational therapy because it was no longer necessary. It sounds like the HS is making sure that they are only providing accommodations to students who truly need it and that those who no longer need them are being identified. It also sounds like the letter was poorly worded and confusing and maybe could have been handled better.

OP: At your next meeting, you may want to bring up the letter and where the confusion came form so that they can change it for future years.

 

[creativeamanda]

Sorry, I'm not laughing at you. Just the idea that my child could get too many services. Yeah, like THAT'll ever happen.

Actually, school districts have been sued for just that--putting kids in self-contained situations when they really could have been in an inclusive environment, keeping a child in resource when he or she could have been removed from special education services. Schools are being sued for violating Least Restrictive Environment now more than anything else.

My point was that they want a doctors letter, but they asked for other types of documentation as a choice, like her last child study plan, which they have. I am annoyed that they were not clear in what they wanted, they were rather misleading in what they wanted to be exact. That is what bugs me, not that they need the doctors note. And if they are going to be so misleading with this, I can just imagine what else they will be misleading on.

They can't say "we need this, this, and this." They don't really know what kind of documentation you can bring to the table. They are giving examples, hoping you can give them more.

I was under the impression that ANY child could qualify for a 504, not just those with medical/learning disablilities? That it is for children who do not qualify other ways for modifications? Wouldn't that be a medically based IEP if it were based on ADD/ADHD? Sp Ed people correct me, please, if I am wrong?

The reason I ask, is I can see that that would be necessary to renew an IEP, but why is the letter needed for ADHD if a 504 is for anyone?

Just wondering....

Not necessarily. My daughter has a learning disability in written expression. Until the end of last year, she had an IEP. She really just needed accommodations to her learning environment, not services under IDEA, so the team determined that she would be better off with a 504 plan. Anyone can have a 504 plan as long as they have a disability. I know of a situation where a 504 plan was written for a teacher who had an anxiety disorder. Hypothetically, if a child were to graduate from high school, the IEP would be transferred over onto a 504 plan in college. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

OP, since you are (rightly so) concerned, I would contact the school and request a preplanning meeting. They have to give you this--you don't have to sign anything and legally they are supposed to develop the 504 plan with you, not bring it to the meeting already written.

 

[Teacher03]

Actually, no matter how personalized it may have looked, it sounds very much like a form letter they would be sendng out to ALL entering students with 504 plans. I don't think it's misleading at all. They're not going through each student's records and checking off, "Oh, we've got this, let's write a letter to the parents telling them we need only ___".

I don't get where it is misleading either . They told you what they needed, I don't think the school is out to get you or to make your life difficult.