
From there, you must contact your child's school and request a 504 plan. A simple doctor's note identifying your child's official diagnosis will do. To receive a 504 plan, you must gather the materials demonstrating your child's diagnosis. Although your child's school might have a general plan in place to offer students with certain special needs, be aware that not all children-and not all 504 plans-are a good match for existing accommodations. For this reason, evaluating your child's needs and making a personalized plan is essential when creating a 504 plan.

Some children, for instance, struggle to keep their focus on a single task, while others might hyper-focus and struggle to engage in more complex, stimulating schoolwork. Typically, ADHD-specific accommodations include changes such as keeping children closer to the front of the room (and, consequently, closer to the teacher), a study skills class to teach organization skills, the ability to keep notes for tests, or the ability to use assistive technology.ĭifferent children with ADHD experience different challenges. 504 plans focus on accommodations rather than modifications. Common Accommodations For ADHD In 504 PlansĪDHD accommodations differ from modifications, in that accommodations change how instruction is delivered, while modifications can change the actual instruction.

Typically, a 504 plan does not offer provisions such as one-on-one instruction or specialized therapy, but instead gives students extra testing time, extra breaks during school hours, and other small alterations of that nature. Where an IEP will have goals and targets put in place that are documented as the year progresses, a 504 plan will simply describe to the child's educators what types of modifications need to be made to offer the same level of education to those with different educational needs. Conversely, a 504 plan outlines the additional services, alterations, or assistance required to provide an acceptable level of schooling to a child with a disability, without requiring a formal demonstration of progress and measurable goals.ĥ04 accommodations make sure students with special needs have an equal opportunity to receive educational services as their peers without special needs. IEPs require students, students' parent(s), and educators to meet to create measurable goals for the student, which are updated regularly to make sure progress is being made. While an IEP is an official school document that is required by law to be offered to students with special needs meeting a high criteria standard, a 504 plan is an assistance plan created to help students who do not qualify for an IEP due to a lack of adequate interference in a child's education. The most common source of assistance for ADHD symptoms not qualified as drastic enough for an IEP is a 504 plan. Whatever the reason for a child's inability to qualify for an IEP, there are other options to help students work through ADHD symptoms in a scholastic setting. Some people, however, are not able to secure diagnoses or define measurable targets, whether this is due to a technicality regarding diagnosis criteria, or the unavailability of a qualified diagnostician.


Explore Your Child's Options With A Therapist
