I sincerely feel for you. It’s very frustrating on many levels, I know. For one of our kiddos, we found College Board to be intractable. I wish I felt free to share our particulars, but I don’t. So she took the ACT because, like your experience, they were reasonable to deal with.
We’ve known others who have struggled with College Board as well. Our medical support folks generally said not to expect anything from them and they were right.
Some (maybe many) colleges are wonderful about accommodations. Make sure you really focus on that when the time comes.
One of the most frustrating aspects of all of this is that so many people are able to push aside whatever moral code they live by, if any, and game the system using fake or exaggerated diagnoses, which of course makes a hard situation harder for the rest of us.
Yes, of course, neither IEP nor 504 follows a student to college, though an Office of Disabilities may ask for the plan for high school as part of the support for accommodations. One college we dealt with did, and for another kid, who didn’t have either plan in high school, a neuropsych. was used. Sorry if I wasn’t clear.
I appreciate the replies, thank you. Here are my preliminary thoughts and I am no expert so everyone should obviously do their own research
My understanding is that an IEP ends with high school (or is supposed to) but certain parts of the 504 follow them for life (I think the applicable part changes) if that is what they choose and it is appropriate. Also, the ADA always applies. I also believe that Section 504 (it is an actual law from 1973) accommodations are supposed to be followed by all institutions that receive federal funds which are almost all colleges and the College Board.
“Colleges have to provide accommodations under Section 504. You aren’t likely to hear many colleges use the term “504 plan,” though”
Also, there really does seem (in my opinion) to be a missing step with the College Board, for example “Yes. All programs in a school or college are covered by Section 504 if the school district, college, or university receives federal financial assistance.” Disability Discrimination. Since the College Board receives federal funding, why are they permitted to make their own determination? Especially since our case the procedure for high stakes testing in the ADA handout I mentioned above was not followed given the delay
Finally, she has a physical disability which causes her to work more slowly etc. Academically while she has to work longer than another student to get the same work done, her grades are good, I am just not sure an IEP would be available to her.
Colleges are usually pretty good about following the 504. In my friend’s kid’s case, there was a science quiz where they told the TA they get double time, the TA told them they did not need it! Even though their college plan required it! Needless to say it was brought to the attention of both the disabilities office and the science department involved and was addressed but the parent did end up having to call after self advocating did not work with the TA
If we contact the disabilities office while we are visiting to see the school, does this mean the student effectively voluntarily disclosed a disability?
Yes, that’s true that it depends on the case. And like I said, once you’re out of high school, there is no legal standing to the 504 or IEP (i.e. they don’t “exist” in college). But the ADA does still exist, and they are required to abide by that. An IEP can be really nice documentation to provide the evidence for the disability.
One “shortcut” that can be useful is to think about whether just an accommodation needs to be made vs needing actual services. For a diabetic student, they likely need an accommodation (like flexibility with breaks and food) but not specific services (unless they have vision problems). A 504 is probably fine. It doesn’t “cost” the teacher anything to provide the accommodation.
For a student with a learning disability or some other physical issues (like certain vision problems), services are really helpful. A dyslexic student may need audio books and a visually impaired student might need large print or a note-taker. A student who can’t walk well needs an alternate assignment for the ecology hiking lab. That is where I think an IEP vs a 504 is helpful. I do think that more weight is given to the IEP in some situations. Speaking from experience as a prof, many well-meaning profs and college administrators are super annoyed by having to do literally anything for a disabled student beyond giving extra time. It’s honestly depressing to listen to other profs express their true feelings (some of whom are disabled themselves!!!) I do think the IEP helps students get what they need put into place at college disability offices.
Personally, when it comes time for my disabled child to apply for college, we will wait until he’s been admitted to contact disability offices to ask about services. It’s crappy, but I don’t feel comfortable disclosing until the admissions are in. Of course, we will investigate the various disability services prior to that by reading about other peoples’ experiences…
The IEP does end when the child graduates/leaves high school. Once they go to college they become 504 plans, where the student registers with the office of disability/ accessibility services.
However, depending on where you live , I live in NYS, where adults are eligible for lifetime vocational and rehabilitative services as long as they are NYS residents through ACCES-VR.
On of the main things is ACCES-VR will pay for all of the psychological/neurological exams, which can be very costly and not always covered by your insurance.
As I stated upstream, Acces-VR covers
Tuition
Required Academic Fees
Room and Board
Required Textbooks and Materials
Required Computer and Software
Assistive Technology
Transportation
Required Internet Access
They will even provide funding for grad school if graduate school is part of the vocational plan
You can find out if your state offers Vocational rehab services and what those services are.
That is very cool. Just curious but I assume they cover an in state tuition not private? Do they cover all room and board? In some state schools that can be more expensive than tuition
@ColdWombat for type 1 diabetes, our school had to go to town meeting and ask for funding for an extra nurse, so the 504 is not without cost in a public school. But very helpful distinction between accommodations and services.
An IEP does not turn into a 504 for college. I am sure what @sybbie719 means is that the ADA applies at the college level (though the standard for accommodation is lower: accommodations cannot pose undue financial or administrative burden or substantially change the academic program.)
One of my kids is a prof., has a disability, and is pretty generous with accommodations, as long as there is documentation. They do not require registration with the Office of Disabilities. They say that the younger prof.'s seem to “get it” (part of diversity, inclusion, equity), and of course COVID has meant granting more leeway to students.
You are right once they leave hs they become eligible for services under the 504. Because ACCES works with a lot of schools they do help families streamline the process especially lo y when it comes to their payments and connecting students to the offices on campus
I agree with this 100% and it was our approach as well. Once you’re in, I am confident that whatever school he/she attends will have wonderful people who will be empathetic and supportive, and these people will be your and your child’s touchstone, and then you will feel like you had nothing about which to worry. BUT, that’s a good place to be.
Interesting. I had taken the nurse for granted because we live in an area with a very well funded school system. There was a nurse at elementary, middle and high school, and they were all fantastic. It was one of the reasons I didn’t send that particular kid to prep school … most of the independent schools in our area were woefully deficient in that regard, and after interviews we got the feeling that we/our D were going to be an imposition on them. Too bad: they missed out on a good one.
Also interesting, and makes a lot of sense. It’s funny: I remember all of the people along the way who were empathetic and understanding of my D’s situation. Sadly, I remember even more vividly every single person who was not … I have to call upon all of the maturity and poise I have in me to let that all go. People who don’t have or are not close to someone with this condition really have no idea what they go through. None whatsoever. I even have family who are totally clueless about it.
An IEP is under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It has to do with issues that affect education and learning through hs (or age 21 if still in school). It is plan to assist with learning issues. Those issues can be permanent or temporary.
Section 504 is under the Americans with Disabilities Act and deals with conditions affecting living, which can include education but also work, living situations, driving, medical, physical,etc.
They aren’t interchangeable. An IEP does not ‘become’ a 504 plan for college. You have to develop a 504 plan, and while it may include some of the things that were in an IEP, it may not include them all. The student may not need to sit in the front row any more, may not need extra time on tests (which is often written into an IEP when the student is in K), and that may not be needed in college. A person may be able to use tests from the IEP to create the 504 if they are recent, but not always.
If you watch New Amsterdam there is an episode recently where a Type 1 gets their shot switched with a growth hormone kid because it is the school secretary doing the shots. Both kids passed out on the show
Thank you everyone for all your advice, she got the full double time and all other requested accommodations in time to take her tests
