I enjoyed working on this blog post because it helped me to learn more about the differences between the two plans. Ironically, I work in a middle school where I share an office with a Speech Language Pathologist (who attends IEP meetings several times a week), I visit classrooms and sit in meetings all day so I hear these terms all of the time. Some of my students even have them (mostly 504's). Yet, until now I never fully understood the complete difference between the two.
I think that it is interesting how a student may have an IEP and that would cover any accommodations that they would have from a 504 because a 504 is strictly outlining accommodations for the student. However, a 504 would never be extensive enough to cover all of the special learning needs for a student with an IEP. Unfortunately, as Swanson and Laviano (Swanson & Laviano, 2013) mentioned in their video, many times schools will administer a 504 to a student who actually needs an IEP simply because the 504 requires less work and effort to put in place. This does a disservice to the student. I am hopeful that with more education, people will learn to do what is in the child's best interest because ultimately that is best for society as a whole. I have the wonderful opportunity of being able to educate parents about the differences and how they can best advocate for their children. I am grateful to be armed with this new knowledge.
References
Great Schools. (2012, November 12). What is
special education? Retrieved from YouTube: https://youtu.be/9DktV772njY
Logsdon, A. (2014, November 25). Section 504 -
Learn About Section 504 in Public Schools. Retrieved from About.com: http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/disabilitylaws/p/Section504.htm
Swanson, J., & Laviano, J. (2013, September 1). IDEA
Basics: (504 Plan) How is an IEP Different from a 504 Plan? Retrieved
from YouTube: https://youtu.be/sJ2KlmG5OV0
The Nemours Foundation. (1995-2015). Individualized
Education Programs IEPs. Retrieved from Kids Health:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/iep.html#
University of Washington. (2013, January 24). What's
the Difference Between and IEP and a 504? Retrieved from DO-IT:
http://www.washington.edu/doit/what-difference-between-iep-and-504-plan
Hi Juanita! I love that you turned a simple Venn Diagram into a Prezi! So creative! You mentioned that there are a lot of students receiving a 504 plan instead of an IEP, which creates a disservice to the students. Do you think that the process of administering a 504 plan/IEP should be changed? Should the guidelines of a 504 plan be improved or modified to allow them to help children more?
ReplyDeleteHi Karen. Thanks for the compliments! I do think the process for administering an IEP could probably be simplified. I do not exactly know how, though. I just hear from staff at my school that there are a lot of steps to get things put in place. This definitely seems like a deterrent for some people to help the students.
DeleteThe Venn Diagram is fun as a Prezi presentation. I have to agree that this assignment did help with understanding the similarities and differences between IEP and 504. It is great that you have a personal connection and experience to students with learning disabilities. Having a better understanding of this information can assist you in those meetings more now. I believe that more students are placed in 504 because they want to see students to continue to succeed throughout their life and become more independent. The IEP is a good idea, but that should be designed for students with larger difficulties and those who need a parent to be heavily involved in their education plan. There is a big difference between the two, but it helps to know that by having a clear understanding, we can provide a better plan for our own students.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Karen, I think that it was really interesting that you used prezi for your venn diagram! I think it's definitely great that you share an office with a Speech Pathologist! Is there anything that you have learned from her about IEPs?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Allison! I have learned a lot about IEPs from the Speech Pathologist. The thing that sticks in my mind is how much control the parents have over whether things move forward in one direction or another, when many times the parents do not fully understand the ramifications of their actions. Their emotions can sometimes get in the way of what is best for the student. It is unfortunate because as a professional who works with several different students during the day and over the course of many years, you would think that the parent would take the advice of that professional. However, there is sometimes a level of distrust between the families and the school staff. I think that by building up the rapport with parents and families before school even starts (at events like Back to School Night, school picnics, or community events), parents can begin to see school staff as human and break down the wall between them. Then when it is time for the serious meetings, maybe parents would not put up such a defensive wall and everyone can work together to make the best decisions for the student.
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