Mix-ups with Section 504 documents happen a lot - even when everyone involved has the best intentions.
Families change schools or relocate, thinking their child’s Section 504 plan automatically follows them.
It doesn’t. Here are some others ways mix-ups happen:
School records requests send things from an electronic database, like attendance, test scores, and report cards.
When they enroll, parents give their child’s plan to a district office, but it never makes it to the school.
Parents check a box that says, “My child has an IEP or a 504/IAP” when they register and think schools have a place to retrieve this information (they usually don’t). The school sends an email requesting the records, and often, no one responds.
No matter how it happened, the teachers don't learn about the plan until a conference, when the parent says something like, “They’re getting their accommodations, right?”
I’ve been in meetings where this happens. It feels terrible FOR EVERYONE.
These miscommunications happen all the time, and they’re 100% avoidable.
Here’s how to make sure your child’s Section 504 plan moves with them and that teachers have the info they need to support your child.
Why Doesn’t a Section 504 Individual Accommodation Plan Automatically Transfer?
Even though Section 504 is a federal law, the implementation and documentation varies greatly by state, district, and even individual school.
There are broad guidelines that apply to everyone, but there is no single national standard for how these documents look, how they are stored, or how they are communicated. Each state interprets the law differently.
At the state level, individual schools and districts can all manage these plans differently. With no centralized database to keep track of them, it's up to you to make sure your child’s plan travels with them.
How To Make Sure a Section 504 Plan Travels Well
Creating the plan:
1. Encourage the use of specific and clear language.
Avoid vague statements like “Ms. Jackie checks in after teaching” and instead write: “Individual teacher check for understanding after instructions are given.”
Don’t write “use Google classroom to share notes” because that’s what the current teachers will do. Instead, write “provide student access to teacher notes one week in advance of instruction.” This conveys the intention and purpose for every school.
The language in your Section 504 IAP should ensure that any new team, even at a different school or in a new state, understands how to be successful meeting your child’s needs.
2. Make sure you have a dated, signed copy of your child’s completed 504/IAP.
3. Keep your signed plan with your emergency documents. Or, upload it to cloud storage that you can access from anywhere. Families that have to suddenly evacuate struggle to get services in a new state. You can’t show someone your plan exists unless you have a copy.
Giving the plan to a new school:
1. After turn in your plan, ask for confirmation that it’s been received.
2. Mention the plan to the teacher sometime during first week of school: a simple email making sure they have it and offering to answer any questions is plenty.
3. Follow up periodically: after 4-6 weeks, ask how the accommodations are working, or offer to meet after 1-2 marking periods to review it or update it.
4. Educate your child about their plan.
Section 504 Plans for Health or Safety Reasons Require Special Care
In general, meeting before school starts or during the very first week about your child’s plan doesn’t help you much: teachers don’t know your child yet, and your child is still adjusting.
Here’s the exception: If your 504 plan involves health or safety issues, those accommodations should be in place before the first day of school.
If you have a plan that’s for anything related to health or safety, go to the main office of your school with copies in hand and give them to an administrator and the nurse.
School nurses are truly magical people. One of the many things they do is train staff on health needs before kids show up, so everyone is prepared from the first minute a child enters the building.
Section 504 Plans Are Often School-Specific
As much as administrators try to make a 504 a well-planned document that could work anywhere for the student, 504 plans are still very school-specific. That’s because they’re written by a team at that school, based on what works best in that school environment.
The team usually includes a teacher, a parent, a school administrator, and sometimes a nurse, counselor, or interventionist that works with the child. All of them are giving input based up what they see about how your child is functioning at school.
Everything — from the way classrooms are set up, to how teachers teach, to when lunch happens, even how long the classes are — affects your child. When these things change, the plan often needs to change, too.
Because 504 plans are built with the student’s current environment in mind, a great solution at one school might not make sense at another. Plans need to be revisited in a new environment to make sure they’re still working.
When Should I Review My Child’s Section 504 Accommodation Plan?
As a school administrator and a private executive function coach, I write, participate in, and help monitor a lot of these plans.
When it comes to reviewing and renewing your child’s plan, it’s important to know:
Section 504 Individual Accommodation Plans are living documents. This means they can be changed at any time. It is always your right to request a meeting to discuss your child’s plan.
Mid-year is the sweet spot for reviewing your child’s plan. Unless something comes up and you need to do it sooner.
This is because after 1 or 2 marking periods, teachers know your child pretty well. The school will have data from assessments, report cards, and intervention services to look at, too. This will help the team see if the plan is working.
Mid-year is also still early enough to make changes, if needed, that could have a positive impact on the rest of the year.
State Testing and Section 504 Plans
Important state testing fact: In most states, accommodations have to be in place for a certain amount of time before a student can have them on state testing.
In my current state, Louisiana, the window to add state testing accommodations for a student closes a full thirty days before the state testing window opens.
This means you can’t add state testing accommodations at the last minute. If you ask even a month before state testing, that’s too late. It can take up to 60 days to gather data and get a plan into place.
Why Shouldn't We Add State Testing Accommodations at the Last Minute?
State testing is used to measure if a school is doing a good job preparing students according to state requirements. Students should be tested the same way they were taught for the state testing data to do the intended job.
Here’s an example: If a student gets extra time or other help on a state test, they’ll likely score better, making it seem like the school’s teaching worked. But if they didn’t get that help all year, you can’t tell if they did well because of the extra time or because of effective teaching. To know for sure, the student needs to be tested under the same conditions they’ve been learning in all year — comparing apples to apples, so to speak.
Last minute testing accommodations can skew results by inflating scores, which defeats the purpose of giving the test.
Mid-year review of your 504/IAP helps you make sure the accommodations are having the intended impact. Teachers can weigh in on how well the support is working, and you still have enough time to make improvements if needed.
Take Charge of Your Child’s Section 504 Plan Move
No one cares about your child’s success as much as you do, but school teams genuinely want your child to have what they need. They’re counting on you to be an advocate, so don't be shy.
After you confirm that your child’s records made it to the new school, don’t stop there.
Make sure the plan is being implemented. A little check-in a few weeks after the start of the year, an email to ask about reviewing it mid year - all help make sure nothing is slipping through the cracks.
Proactivity Leads to Success with Section 504 Plans
Teachers are caring and busy professionals. They cannot implement a plan they don’t have.
I find that teachers are often early and vocal advocates of kids getting the support they need. When you share that your child already has a plan, their response is usually, “Great! I need a copy!” They need your help to make sure they get it.
To support your Section 504 IAP transfer, be proactive, stay organized, and keep the lines of communication open. Request a mid-year review each year to make sure your child’s accommodations are doing what they’re supposed to.
When you’re proactive in moving your Section 504 plan, it follows to the next grade or school and works as it should.
Need the TL;DR on 504 Plans or Want More Support?
This checklist is a handy tool for parents that are moving or maintaining a 504 plan, covering the key steps and practical actions to ensure success, and it's free:
I work online with parents and kids, every week. We frequently talk about accommodation plans. If you need help, I'm inviting you to book a free call: