If you have a child that receives special services through special education-then it is likely that you have heard the terms IEP and 504 Plan.  Some professionals and parents like to interchange the terms but they are very different.

An IEP (Individual Education Plan) is a document that lists out the deficits your child ‘has’ and in what area, it lists goals that the classroom teacher and special educator will address, and it also lists out the accommodations that your child will receive due this disability.  So for example if your child has a learning disability, the IEP should state that there is a learning disability- the IEP will also state the goals that the teacher will address, it will state how often your child will be seen by the special educator, it will also state which accommodations they will receive (extra time on testing, questions read allowed etc).  An IEP MUST be reveiwed every year. This IEP is also a legal document so if your child is not getting the services listed-you need to inquire why this is not happening. An IEP lasts until the child is 21. Consider an IEP like a map for a child’s special education in the both the regular classroom and in the special classroom (if applicable).

A 504 plan can also be looked at as a map. It has some of the same elements but it is not nearly as detailed.  It mostly addresses how your child will learn in school.  It will not get them special services (speech therapy, learning diabilities teacher) but it will get them accomodations ( extra time on testing and assignments, questions read aloud, etc). It can be temporary due to a physical injury or it can last as long as the child is in school.  A 504 plan can also follow a child throughout their entire life. Making it great for a college bound student.

Both of these documents are great in getting your child the services and accommodations that he or she deserves. Knowing the difference between the two helps you make the right choice for your child.