IEP/504 Advocate

Class Description

The Empress Haven, PLLC is adamant about partnering with families to meet their child's academic & behavior needs. An IEP is a blueprint or plan for a child’s special education experience at school. An IEP provides individualized special education and related services to meet a child’s unique needs. To get an IEP, there are two requirements: A child has one or more of the 13 disabilities listed in IDEA. The law lists specific challenges, like learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and others. The disability must affect the child’s educational performance and/or ability to learn and benefit from the general education curriculum. The child must need specialized instruction to make progress in school. A 504 Plan is a blueprint or plan for how the school will provide support and remove barriers for a student with a disability. A 504 Plan provides services and changes to the learning environment to enable students to learn alongside their peers. To get a 504 plan, there are two requirements: A child has any disability. Section 504 covers a wide range of different struggles in school. The disability must interfere with the child’s ability to learn in a general education classroom. Section 504 has a broader definition of a disability than IDEA. (It says a disability must substantially limit one or more basic life activities. This can include learning, reading, communicating, and thinking.) That’s why a child who doesn’t qualify for an IEP might still be able to get a 504 plan. As with an IEP, a 504 plan is provided at no cost to families.