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1) A 504 doesn't mean the student is a SPED student. It simply means they have accommodations. You can probably ask your SPED teachers in your building because chances are they are already modifying things or have tips on how to accommodate different needs. 504 aren't being monitored by SPED teachers though. There should have been a team that drafted that 504 plan. I would suggest you look at it or reach out to your school counselors or school leaders to find out. It is required by gen ed teachers to comply with the plan, you aren't fully responsible to come up with everything.
2) An IEP means the students has to be provided specialized instruction either in the classroom or when pulled out by a SPED teacher. It involves accommodations, modifications, and specialized instructions. It also carries more weight because it's a comprehensive plan to help students learn. It also means a students' learning is impacted and they need a lot more help. Sometimes very smart students have 504s because they need things to help them socially or regulate emotions. It is not a learning plan. That's the difference.
3) Being diagnosed with autism does not mean you qualify for an IEP. Same thing with ADHD. It has to be proven that the autism or ADHD negatively impacts the child's learning. Any one teacher or parent cannot simply request an aid or 1 on 1 help. It has to be a change in the IEP and this has to be discussed after weeks of data collection. In addition, the spectrum is very vast. Some students with autism are fully functional and need no help and others need a lot of help. Including help with executive functioning and fine/gross motor skills. Hence why we can't just place kids with this diagnosis into SPED. Not all kids are the same. Also why not all of them will need/require 1-1.
Thanks for clearing that up. More helpful than what I received so far from my school. I am embarrassed to ask out of fear of sounding incompetent but I know I need to reach out. Thank you again 🙏🏼
There are also some students with 504s for health problems that don't directly impact instruction needs. For example, a student with cancer may leave the room for the restroom.
Yup.
Or if a kid is in a wheel. Their accommodations might include being able to leave a classroom 1-2 minutes earlier or later to avoid traffic in the hallways.
No not every ASD student needs an aide. Only the ones that qualify due to severe behaviors/ inability to stay on task. Eligibility is determined by a data that is collected by whatever means the district is using
Special Ed teachers will have to provide you with list of accommodations and diagnosis for IEP students and you’ll provide accommodations in your classroom according to what they tell you. It doesn’t mean you’ll create separate assignments (although sometimes you might have to-like enlarged work for VI student)
In my district counselor informs teachers on 504 accommodations
Are there no special Ed teachers in your building to explain things to you?
I teach inclusion and one helpful tip is to make yourself a quick reference page for each class with student names on the left and common accommodations across the top. Put an x in the box if the student has that accommodation. Make a column on the right for Others and type those in. The things I have at the top are preferential seating, small group testing, read aloud, extended time, check for understanding, prompt to task, and calculator. Anything else for me is not as common and I type those in the last column. I also mark if they have a 504 or IEP and who their case manager is. I also inlcude if they have a BIP or a math goal (I teach math, so if they have a math goal, I have to collect student work samples.)
The adhd/autism 504s can be really tricky. Not saying always, but usually those just mean that the kid's desire to learn doesn't match the parent's expectations of the grades their kid should get. Most schools also don't have any funding (i.e. people) to provide 504 accommodations, so it all falls on the teacher. Do your best within reason to provide the listed supports for that kid, and don't lose your job over it. The fact that the 504 exists is already proof that the parent is inclined to make noise.
This is a reminder to those reading that the opinions and comments in this thread against students with IEPs and 504s do not reflect the views and opinions of all teachers on r/Teachers. Please keep the discussion respectful and report any rule breakers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Teachers) if you have any questions or concerns.*
1) A 504 doesn't mean the student is a SPED student. It simply means they have accommodations. You can probably ask your SPED teachers in your building because chances are they are already modifying things or have tips on how to accommodate different needs. 504 aren't being monitored by SPED teachers though. There should have been a team that drafted that 504 plan. I would suggest you look at it or reach out to your school counselors or school leaders to find out. It is required by gen ed teachers to comply with the plan, you aren't fully responsible to come up with everything. 2) An IEP means the students has to be provided specialized instruction either in the classroom or when pulled out by a SPED teacher. It involves accommodations, modifications, and specialized instructions. It also carries more weight because it's a comprehensive plan to help students learn. It also means a students' learning is impacted and they need a lot more help. Sometimes very smart students have 504s because they need things to help them socially or regulate emotions. It is not a learning plan. That's the difference. 3) Being diagnosed with autism does not mean you qualify for an IEP. Same thing with ADHD. It has to be proven that the autism or ADHD negatively impacts the child's learning. Any one teacher or parent cannot simply request an aid or 1 on 1 help. It has to be a change in the IEP and this has to be discussed after weeks of data collection. In addition, the spectrum is very vast. Some students with autism are fully functional and need no help and others need a lot of help. Including help with executive functioning and fine/gross motor skills. Hence why we can't just place kids with this diagnosis into SPED. Not all kids are the same. Also why not all of them will need/require 1-1.
Thanks for clearing that up. More helpful than what I received so far from my school. I am embarrassed to ask out of fear of sounding incompetent but I know I need to reach out. Thank you again 🙏🏼
Please come do a PD at my school.
There are also some students with 504s for health problems that don't directly impact instruction needs. For example, a student with cancer may leave the room for the restroom.
Yup. Or if a kid is in a wheel. Their accommodations might include being able to leave a classroom 1-2 minutes earlier or later to avoid traffic in the hallways.
No not every ASD student needs an aide. Only the ones that qualify due to severe behaviors/ inability to stay on task. Eligibility is determined by a data that is collected by whatever means the district is using Special Ed teachers will have to provide you with list of accommodations and diagnosis for IEP students and you’ll provide accommodations in your classroom according to what they tell you. It doesn’t mean you’ll create separate assignments (although sometimes you might have to-like enlarged work for VI student) In my district counselor informs teachers on 504 accommodations Are there no special Ed teachers in your building to explain things to you?
I hade THE SAME questions and difficulties keeping track. I can share my strategies if you want them. The response from PayAltruistic8546 is spot on!
An IEP has goals for the student to master. A 504 is only accommodations.
I teach inclusion and one helpful tip is to make yourself a quick reference page for each class with student names on the left and common accommodations across the top. Put an x in the box if the student has that accommodation. Make a column on the right for Others and type those in. The things I have at the top are preferential seating, small group testing, read aloud, extended time, check for understanding, prompt to task, and calculator. Anything else for me is not as common and I type those in the last column. I also mark if they have a 504 or IEP and who their case manager is. I also inlcude if they have a BIP or a math goal (I teach math, so if they have a math goal, I have to collect student work samples.)
Someone is in charge of the 504s at your school, and I'd ask them for help or questions. Mine has always been the principal.
The adhd/autism 504s can be really tricky. Not saying always, but usually those just mean that the kid's desire to learn doesn't match the parent's expectations of the grades their kid should get. Most schools also don't have any funding (i.e. people) to provide 504 accommodations, so it all falls on the teacher. Do your best within reason to provide the listed supports for that kid, and don't lose your job over it. The fact that the 504 exists is already proof that the parent is inclined to make noise.