Special Education VS Section 504 Services

Nov 16

Two critical support systems often come into play for students with disabilities: Special Education and Section 504 services. These services aim to provide necessary accommodations and support, but they operate under different legal frameworks and have distinct purposes. Understanding the distinctions between these two frameworks is crucial for ensuring that every student receives the appropriate assistance tailored to their unique needs.

Special Education means Specially Designed Instruction SDI that is provided to students with disabilities, at no cost, in the public school setting (IDEA 2017). Students who require SDI will have an Individualized Education Plan IEP with support and services including, but not limited to, specific goals and objectives, accommodations, and possible modifications/changes to the general curriculum. These students will have a dedicated Special Education Teacher who will provide either inclusion support in the general education classroom or who will pull them out for more targeted academic support. This is usually referred to as Resource. Students may also be placed in a Self-Contained or Behavioral Unit depending on their individual needs. Students may also have additional needs for speech therapy, occupational therapy, and/or physical therapy.

Section 504 means that a student with a disability, who meets eligibility criteria, can receive accommodations in the general education setting at no cost. In this placement, students receive accommodations from their general education teacher(s). There is no change or adaptation to the general education curriculum.

How does my child qualify as a student with a disability?

A child who is suspected of having a disability can be referred for an evaluation at the school by a staff member or by a parent/guardian at any time. You can also opt to have the evaluation conducted by a medical professional or an outside agency that specializes in conducting Psychoeducational or Psychological Evaluations. The results of the evaluation will indicate whether or not your child has a disability.

What happens after my child is diagnosed with a disability/ies?

If the evaluation was conducted by an outside evaluation agency, like DLS, you will need to share the report with the school if you want your child to receive additional support. If the school has conducted the evaluation, the Student Success Team will follow the school’s procedures for evaluation reviews.

Will my child be placed in Special Education or 504?

The school will contact you to schedule a meeting so that as a team, you can determine whether your child needs SDI or can be successful with accommodations in the general education classroom. This is dependent upon what your child’s specific educational needs are. If your child generally gets good grades, does well on their classroom and standardized tests, but needs some reminders to stay on task, or extra time to complete assignments, then Section 504 services are likely to be most appropriate for your child. However, if your child is not consistently meeting his/her academic expectations, and appears to be at least 2-3 years behind in reading, writing, and/or math, he/she may require more support. This could include SDI from a Special Education Teacher and accommodations and modifications. In this case, Special Education might be the most appropriate placement for your child. It is important to note, that if your child has been diagnosed with Dyslexia, your child automatically qualifies for Special Education Services. You can get more information about this here: DLS Blog - TEA Dyslexia Updates