Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 Plans

The IEP Team
By: National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY)
The IEP guides the delivery of special education and related services and supplementary aids and supports for the child with a disability. Without a doubt, writing and implementing an effective IEP requires teamwork. So, who's on the team?

Top Ten Questions To Ask At An IEP Meeting
Special Education Advisor

How to Read an IEP
National Center for Learning Disabilities

Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004
Sec. 300.324 Development, review, and revi­sion of IEP. From the U.S. Dept. of Education.

Massachusetts Department of Education: Special Education
Documents, Forms and Notices, Parents Notice of Procedural Safeguards

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities: Resolving Disputes between Parents and Schools
While it is expected that par­ents and school per­son­nel will work in part­ner­ship to ensure chil­dren with dis­abil­i­ties are pro­vided appro­pri­ate ser­vices, there are times when the child’s par­ents and school offi­cials can­not reach con­sen­sus on what con­sti­tutes a free appro­pri­ate pub­lic edu­ca­tion (FAPE) for an indi­vid­ual child. When such dis­agree­ments occur, par­ents and school dis­tricts can turn to IDEA’s pro­ce­dural safe­guards and dis­pute res­o­lu­tion options.

Q&A on IEPs, Evaluations and Reevaluations, revised June 2010
The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) has issued a revised Q&A doc­u­ment to pro­vide states, state edu­ca­tion agen­cies (SEAs), local edu­ca­tion agen­cies (LEAs), par­ents and other stake­hold­ers with infor­ma­tion regard­ing the IDEA require­ments related to indi­vid­u­al­ized edu­ca­tion pro­grams (IEPs), eval­u­a­tions and reevaluations.

Wrightslaw
Wrightslaw is a defin­i­tive source for spe­cial edu­ca­tion legal infor­ma­tion. You'll find arti­cles, law and reg­u­la­tions, and tips about how to get qual­ity ser­vices in your child's IEP on this site. You'll also learn how to use tac­tics and strate­gies to nego­ti­ate with the school. Includes IEP cases, rec­om­mended books, and free pub­li­ca­tions about IEPs.

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities: All About the IEP
Articles include infor­ma­tion on what IDEA requires, what infor­ma­tion a typ­i­cal IEP con­tains, how IEPs are devel­oped, and what types of con­sid­er­a­tions, dis­cus­sions, and deci­sions must be made by the IEP team.

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities: Related Services
Related ser­vices help chil­dren with dis­abil­i­ties ben­e­fit from their spe­cial edu­ca­tion by pro­vid­ing extra help and sup­port in needed areas, such as speak­ing or moving.

Assistive Technology Devices and Services
Wrightslaw web­site: IDEA 2004 requires IEP teams to con­sider the assis­tive tech­nol­ogy needs of all chil­dren with dis­abil­i­ties. (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(3)(B)(v)).

LD Online
Includes many arti­cles about how to cre­ate a use­ful IEP, under­stand­ing the IEP process, and the impor­tance of good communication. 

Tips for Planning an IEP with a Vision Toward College
From the Federation for Children with Special Needs



IEP GOALS: Examples and help with writ­ing IEP Goals

IEP Goals and Objectives Bank
Goals and objec­tives for you to famil­iar­ize your­self with for your child's IEP. Topics include: English, Functional Academics, Independent Living, Mathematics, Mathematics Readiness, Motor, Recreation and Leisure, Self-​​management and Daily Living, Social Emotional, Speech and Language, Study Skills, and Vocational/​Career Education. 

What You Need to Know About IDEA 2004: Present Levels of Functional Performance & Functional Goals in IEPs
by Pat Howey, Paralegal and Advocate
You need to learn the new legal requirements for present levels of functional performance and functional goals in IEPs. Do not assume that your child's IEP team is knowledgeable about these requirements.

Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities: Guide to Education Planning
Because your child with learn­ing dis­abil­i­ties learns dif­fer­ently, edu­ca­tional pro­grams must be tai­lored to his or her spe­cific needs. That’s the pur­pose of the IEP. Developed with input from you and your child’s team, it is a blue­print for your child’s edu­ca­tion that will allow you to mea­sure and mon­i­tor progress along the way.

Objectives for Behavioral Goals
Help with writ­ing pos­i­tive behav­ioral goals.


Section 504 Plans


504 Plan vs. IEP
Comparison of the two edu­ca­tion plans

LD OnLine: Understanding the Differences Between IDEA and Section 504
An overview of IDEA and Section 504

IEP vs. 504 Plan
The web­site for the Federation of Children with Special Needs.

Section 504 and IDEA Comparison Chart
From the Education​.com website

IDEA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and American with Disabilities Act
This is a publication for parents explaining the differences between IDEA, Section 504 and the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). This site helps parents to find services and supports as identified under the law.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
This website provides information about the differences in these two pieces of legislations and the rights and protections of students with disabilities.

Program Quality Assurance (PQA)
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education may be contacted regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act concerning rights of covered students, ages 3-22, through its complaint management programs administered by the Program Quality Assurance (PQA) Unit.

United States, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
The federal government has general responsibility for overseeing compliance (technical assistance and enforcement) of Section 504 and the ADA. For matters involving the enforcement of civil rights in education environments (for persons of any age, including colleges/universities and adult education), contact:

Office for Civil Rights, New England Office
U.S. Department of Education
33 Arch Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02110-1491
Telephone: 617-289-0111
TDD: 877-521-2172
Email: OCR.Boston@ed.gov