Two Types of School Based Student Support - IEPs vs 504 Plans

As you know, we are obsessed with helping students reach their highest potential. To do this you must follow the ASSESS -> DESIGN -> IMPLEMENT framework. First, we must assess students with a combination of formal and informal assessment measures. Then we must design an appropriate plan and finally, we must implement the plan at the highest level.

When we are designing plans for student success we need to make sure that we incorporate two key factors:

1 - Level the Playing Field

Leveling the playing field allows students who struggle with learning to have equal access to the curriculum being delivered INSIDE the general education classroom.

2 - Close the Gap

Closing the gap allows students who struggle in specific areas of learning to receive individualized or small-group instruction that will help them catch up to their grade-based peers. Some students simply learn differently and have fallen behind academically and need to “close the gap” to catch up to their grade-based peers.

So how do the plans help?

There are two main types of plans that schools design and implement to help students reach their potential. Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 Plans.

Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 Plans.

IEPs are designed to support students in both leveling the playing field and closing the gap.

504 Plans are designed to level the playing field.

However, which type of plan makes the most sense is highly dependent on the student, their needs, and their assessment results. Therefore…

…before a 504 Plan or IEP can be implemented an assessment must be completed.

IEPs require that the school complete a comprehensive testing battery to determine whether the student is eligible to receive extra help - this is NOT a diagnosis of a learning disability. Check out our >>>blog here<<< on the differences between school-based and private testing.

504 Plans require that the student has an outside diagnosis of a medical or learning disability that impacts his or her performance in the classroom. This must come from private testing.

Is an IEP or 504 plan better?

Neither plan is necessarily “better” as it really depends on each individual student’s needs.

Because an IEP will place students into the Special Education program within the school it is necessary to understand first whether the student will benefit from that type of support or whether private intervention or support would be better suited to meet a student’s individual needs. Sometimes the level of the instructional material may not exactly fit a student’s needs and therefore private tutoring or support makes more sense.

An IEP does offer more instructional support to close the gap…

…but it’s important to be sure the level of support will be the right type of support for your child. The IEP is renewed each year, at that time you have a chance to review student goals, student progress, and determine if any additional supports are necessary.

504 Plans can support students longer term with less impact on general education…

…because IEPs require students to be pulled out of class - they may miss important instructional time in the classroom. Therefore it is critical that the costs and benefits of each plan be weighed.

We support parents and teachers in navigating this process and would be happy to set up a free initial consultation if you need guidance on your next steps.