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  • 504 Plan

    This information may be helpful to some of you Americans as we all prepare to start another school year in America. I'm not sure if the 504 plan is available everywhere, but my husband and I are communicating with the school system to set up one for Erica for accomodations when she starts school this year, post-surgery. I have seen some of you post suggestions about it, and so we looked into it and are getting the ball rolling. In some cases, administrators are giving us a book extra for her classes, to keep at home. Then, they are telling us that they don't have extra books for some classes, etc. We pursued this point and are being promised extra books according to the 504 plan. We are also getting suggestions from the school to have Erica tour the school and see where her classrooms are, meet the teachers, try the elevator and the wheelchair, etc., at a time other than when all the kids come for open house. They are suggesting she avoid the crowds that way. It is nice to have some administrators OFFERING suggestions such as these, instead of us always having to beg for the options. 3 weeks til school starts, and because my hubby got on the phone to administration already, we are getting things done now rather than waiting until the first week, when I was originally told to come back. We are partly learning who will help and who will put up roadblocks as we ask various administrators for help to prepare for school. Erica is only comfortable sitting in a wheelchair, so we are planning to use a wheelchair as an accomodation at school, instead of pillows in chairs, etc. Thought this might help some of you to stand up for your rights and start requesting the 504 plan now, instead of after school starts and when you wish you had a copy of books at home. Kris

  • #2
    Good deal Kris! I'm glad to hear Erica's school is willing to work with you early. That's a big step in the right direction.

    The only other thing I might suggest (and you hinted to this in your post) is to have them WRITE in the 504 plan that she is to be allowed to leave class early to go to the next class, or be late to the next class. Something that works for her and the teachers that means she is not in the crowded hallways when all the other students are changing classes. Pushing from the back is a BIG problem in crowded schools. Something our kids, especially post-surgery, need to avoid.

    Another item Braydon has in his 504 plan is to allow him bathroom access at all times. When he needs to go, he needs to go.

    I hope the tour of the school goes great, and that Erica has a very successful school year!
    Carmell
    mom to Kara, idiopathic scoliosis, Blake 19, GERD and Braydon 14, VACTERL, GERD, DGE, VEPTR #137, thoracic insufficiency, rib anomalies, congenital scoliosis, missing coccyx, fatty filum/TC, anal stenosis, horseshoe kidney, dbl ureter in left kidney, ureterocele, kidney reflux, neurogenic bladder, bilateral hip dysplasia, right leg/foot dyplasia, tibial torsion, clubfoot with 8 toes, pes cavus, single umblilical artery, etc. http://carmellb-ivil.tripod.com/myfamily/

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    • #3
      Hey Kris
      My Nicole Has A 504 In Place And We Request A Locker At The End So Nobody Is Next To Her. We Also Ask For The Lower One In Her School They Have A Cubby On Top Of The Long Locker. Instead Of Gym She Takes Art.
      Theresa
      THERESA

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      • #4
        504 vs. "Special Education"

        My daughter had her accomodations met under Special Education, instead of 504. My understanding, and please correct me if I'm wrong, is that Special Education holds more weight, federal vs. civil law? And under sSpecial Ed she was provided with transportation to and from school; mom (me!) didn't have to drive her, they sent out a bus for her, and even 3 months after surgery, since she was missing physical education, she went into school two hours late, so she could swim every morning, and still was tutored at home for the missed morning classes.

        So, what's the difference between Special Education and 504? I learn so much from this Forum! Thank you!

        Pat

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        • #5
          Keep the suggestions regarding 504 plan coming, all of you! You are a great help as I try to think of all to have written in our plan in the near future! I understand the plan is now under the EC department, so it may help our cause and get more assistance available, such as a handicap bus. That is interesting about special education possibly providing things that aren't normally covered under just the 504. A funny thing today: the principal called my husband at work and my husband called him the asst. principal's name. The principal apparently was not exactly thrilled about this and emphasized his name, and how the other name is the assistant p. One thing about talking to so many administrators, my husband found his foot in his mouth on that one! I'll see at school how nice the guy really is. Hopefully, he won't remember my hubby's woopsie, hah. I plan to copy all suggestions I can get from this site and use them when we write the 504, so keep your ideas coming! Our school also suggested having a classmate take her between classes 5 minutes before end of class. This was their suggestion, before I even had time to request it! Let's hope all these things really come to fruition. Kris

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          • #6
            Could something to be put in there be 'wriggle time'; that is if Erica needs to get up and have a stretch during class if she's sore, or uncomfortable etc or needs to leave the class to have a bit of a stretching walk, she's able to.

            Would something have to go in there about the school nurse being able to give Erica Panadol (Tylenol) if she needs it

            She may not need to use either of these, but from what I've learnt about a 504 plan it's better to have all things you can think of written in 'just in case' and saves a lot of problems later.

            This is just an Alison wondering question?? (but if you don't ask you always wonder lol), would she be using the wheelchair just to sit in in class.......how would it get from class to class.

            Alison
            Last edited by Alison; 08-03-2005, 10:46 PM.

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            • #7
              Alison, thanks for the additional ideas. I may end up writing a book of requests, but as you said, the more listed, the less problems down the road. Wiggle time, or permission to stand and walk around during class, is a good suggestion. I don't know what will happen with the wheelchair. The school said they have one, but for one thing, is she the only one who is going to want the wheelchair? I hope we don't have to load/unload ours daily for her to use. My body can't handle lifting it without my sons' help or my husband. Currently, she pushes the wheelchair to where she wants to sit and then sits. I assume she could do the same at school, especially if she has extra time before the end of classes. She can also sit in it as she travels if she gets tired of walking. That's what we do now. I went on a mile long walk with her this evening (it was only 85 degrees outside) and she sat for me to push her for 2 short times of me pushing her in the wheelchair. She is getting longer walks and less and less pain as she can take the wheelchair and someone with her for longer walks without worrying about getting too tired before she gets to her destination. Keep the suggestions for the 504 coming again, people! Thanks, Kris

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              • #8
                Kris,
                You may also to add that if Erica is comfortable standing in class for a while, to allow that. Crystal found that she could sit for a while, but then she would need to stand for a while. The teachers at our school use podiums and if Crystal needed to stand and still be able to read or write, she was allowed to use them for that purpose. Also, she needs to be allowed to lay out straight in the nurses office sometimes.

                We have a very small school, 140 students k-12. We didn't have to go through all the political stuff those of you in bigger schools have to deal with. I am so thankful for that. The Superintendent came out to our house to tutor Crystal while she was out of school. He offered this to Crystal, we didn't even have to ask.

                Hope this helps.

                'til later,
                Nikki

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                • #9
                  504 Plan

                  Kris, I have already been talking to my daughter's school even though she hasn't had surgery yet...We thought it would be this fall and now we're not sure. One thing that wasn't mentioned from anyone else is modified assignments. We are at an IB middle school and the curriculum is pretty tough. If she has surgery during the school year then I feel that for a while it may be all she can do just to go to school. Sometimes she has hours of homework and I want to make sure she's responsibie for the basics and not all the projects, etc. The school said she would be allowed to leave class early with an escort to help carry books, an extra set of books at home and a text book to be left in each of her classrooms so she doesn't have to carry one at school, she'll be allowed to get up and walk anytime needed, they have also said she'd have a home school teacher until she returns...you shouldn't have this problem. I guess I also need to request a "top" locker on the end. They were also supposed to put a fairly good friend in each of her classes....we'll see. Once we hear from Shrinrs next Friday we'll decide on which semester she should take PE.

                  Hope all goes well and it sounds like Erica is doing great. My daughter told me yesterday that she'd prefer the surgery over the brace. I didn't want to scare her but I told her that the surgery was pretty bad. She is really starting to hate the brace and doesn't want to wear it to school next year. It's so hard because we initially thought that surgery was a given and although she wore the brace faithfully we let her take breaks...more than we would have if we thought the brace was working. Now we're just not sure what to do. Hopefully Shriners will give us the same opinion as Dr. W and we'll be more confident. Cheryl
                  NCM

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                  • #10
                    Hi Pat,

                    The very simplified version of a 504 plan -vs- an IEP is that a 504 plan allows for accommodations to be made for children who have physical impairment to obtain a comparable education. An IEP is for kids who have some type of academic delay that requires extra assistance or accommodations.

                    Now, an IEP also has a medical clause that kids with physical problems could qualify for, but, an IEP also sometimes "labels" a child "special needs".

                    Braydon will be going into 5th grade. He currently has a 504 plan that has worked well for us. I'm not sure if a 504 plan will be what he needs when he goes to middle school next year. I'll have to do some research and find out how "willing" the teachers and principal will be to work with us and a 504 plan.

                    HTH
                    Carmell
                    mom to Kara, idiopathic scoliosis, Blake 19, GERD and Braydon 14, VACTERL, GERD, DGE, VEPTR #137, thoracic insufficiency, rib anomalies, congenital scoliosis, missing coccyx, fatty filum/TC, anal stenosis, horseshoe kidney, dbl ureter in left kidney, ureterocele, kidney reflux, neurogenic bladder, bilateral hip dysplasia, right leg/foot dyplasia, tibial torsion, clubfoot with 8 toes, pes cavus, single umblilical artery, etc. http://carmellb-ivil.tripod.com/myfamily/

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hi Everyone,

                      Like Kris said earlier, keep the suggestions coming!!! I just got back from vacation Sunday, and the whole time was thinking of the upcoming school year with Joe and the 504 plan, etc. It was so great to come home and see this thread with everyone's info & suggestions. I just registered Joe for high school this morning & went & spoke to his counselor to give her a heads up on what was going on. She was SOOOO nice & helpful already. She assured me the school would do whatever possible to accomodate Joe. Turns out her husband is Joe's Algebra2 teacher and she is also very good friends with his band teacher. I also expressed concern about the school books being so heavy, I really don't want Joe carrying them even now b/c of back strain. She offered to start working on getting an extra set of books to keep in class even though we don't have dr. authorization for that. It also turns out her husbands sister had scoliosis surgery a while back, and she told me how they recently took the girl to Disneyland and how it was emotional for her to be able to finally be able to get on the rides again.

                      Anyway, I think I would be very lost without this great support group. I have learned so much from you all, and have gained much confidence & courage in dealing with all this. a million THANKS!

                      Renee

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                      • #12
                        Hi Kris
                        I Met With Nicoles Asst Principal Today For Her 504 Plan
                        This Is What We Are Getting. She Is Going Into The 8 Th Grade.

                        #1 Hallway Pass To Leave Class 5 Min Early With Another Classmate.

                        #2 Pass To Go To Nurse For Any Reason During The Classtime. (bathroom) She Wears A Brace (tylenol)

                        #3 Pillow For The Chair.

                        #4 Two Sets Of Books One For Home The Other The Teacher Will Keep For Her.

                        #5 One Binder With All Her Papers For All Classes Together.
                        Most Teachers Went Different Notebooks Folders Etc.

                        #6 To Be Taken From The Class Before A Fire Drill.

                        #7 No Gym
                        Her Choice Was Art Instead

                        #8 Walk Around If She Needs To.

                        #9 End Locker.

                        #10 To Use Elevator.

                        #11 Can Not Do Lockdown.
                        This Is Went The Students Stay Away For The Windows Go Under The Desk Knee Down Against The Wall
                        Hope These Suggestions Help
                        Theresa
                        THERESA

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                        • #13
                          Thank you all, and keep the ideas coming! Now I need to get the plan written up, I guess, or at least get the appointment set with whoever does it with us. Kris

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                          • #14
                            Thanks Carmell for the 504/IEP explanation . . . I know they've amended the 504 language back in December of 2004 . . not sure how it will affect the kids . . . yet! Lots to learn, well you know!
                            Pat

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                            • #15
                              504 Plans have actually been around for a very long time . . .but until recently, they were used less often? My son now has a 504 plan in place. I had to push the school at first, but once I reached the level of the special ed director, it wasn't difficult. Most of the folks at school were unfamiliar with it tho.

                              Here is my understanding . . . for a student who does not have an IEP that specifies what he/she needs educationally, a 504 plan can do that. Examples of kids who need 504 plans: diabetic kids who need injections, special diets; asthamatic kids who need inhalers; kids in wheelchairs who don't need special ed but do need elevator passes, accomodations physically; Kids with scoliosis who need elevator passes, no backbacks to carry, extra books, what have you.

                              In my son's case, his scores on his PSAT taken last fall were way lower than any standardized testing before. Not below average, but for him way lower. As I looked into it more, and talked to the guidance counselor, it became evident that sitting in a desk for 3 hours taking a test was physically uncomfortable for him. We also discovered that his curve has increased from 28 degrees to 34 degrees, so his level of discomfort in sitting may have increased as well.

                              His 504 plan will allow him to take standardized testing, like the ACT/SAT, in an adapted classroom allowing him to take stretching breaks, sit in a special chair, what have you. In order to do this, he HAS to have a 504 plan so the American College Testing Group will approve his adaptations.

                              Further, he can take the elevator if he wants and we can amend or add to his plan at any time. He will have a 504 plan into college as well and a 504 plan can also carry into adult life as well.

                              It isn't any better or worse than an IEP, just if a kid has an IEP you can add the adaptations there and you don't need to repeat with a 504. If you don't have an IEP, then you need to have a 504.

                              Every school district MUST have a person designated as the 504 contact person.

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