My daughter has been diagnosed with ADHD which based on what I’ve read seems to fit with what we have seen. She struggles a lot more in the 7th grade than she did in elementary school. I am trying to ask the school for some official help since some of her teachers are not at all helpful. I’ve been doing some reading and I am not sure I understand the difference between an IEP and a 504 or what is best for a child with ADHD who basically has a trash can for a backpack. Any advice out there for what the difference really is or what you found worked for your child? She wants help. I just don’t know what to ask for.
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@Midwestgal Thanks for writing in and welcome!
Just FYI you can always ask the school team to explain the difference between a 504 Plan and an IEP to you and generally there is literature that the school gives out but sometimes not enough in advance to prepare for a meeting. So in a nutshell, without too much technical jargon here is the difference:
A 504 Plan and an IEP both support students with disabilities, but they serve different purposes:
A 504 Plan only provides accommodations to help a child access the general education curriculum. It’s for students who don’t need specialized instruction but do need adjustments like extended time on tests, reduced homework, or preferential seating.
An IEP includes both accommodations and specialized instruction to meet your child’s unique needs. It also includes specific, measurable goals to help measure that your child make progress in school, like improving focus or achieving academic benchmarks. It’s for students who need tailored support beyond what a 504 Plan offers, such as speech therapy or small group instruction. So with an IEP you get everything in a 504 Plan plus specialized instruction.
In general, ask for a 504 Plan if your child with ADHD primarily needs accommodations to help with focus, organization, or managing distractions in a general education classroom and/or in the testing environment including standardized testing.
Ask for an IEP if your child’s ADHD significantly impacts their academic progress, and they need individualized goals and special education instruction to access the curriculum. It helps to have a list of everything that your daughter struggles with so that the team can figure out what additional information might be needed (e.g. standardized testing) to best understand your daughter’s needs.
Every child’s needs are unique but this is a basic explanation. Please other parents with experience in this area chime in here!
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I’m not sure if we are allowed to post other resources here, but I’d encourage you to take a look at Wrightslaw for info on all things related to special education, including how to request that the school do an assessment and how to best advocate for your daughter. Depending on where you live, there are also organizations that offer assistance to parents with these issues. Some school districts do a great job providing supportive services, but some do not, and it can help to know your rights and be able to get an educational advocate or lawyer if needed.
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@RN_L and @Midwestgal Yes, absolutely you can post other resources here and we strongly encourage that. The more information the better which is why we started the Spotlight series in the article section. Wrightslaw is a great resource. Hopefully @Midwestgal will have a supportive school team.
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@RN_L and @LisaJM1 Thanks so much for the help. I looked up Wrightslaw. A lot of information to download or buy. The first meeting is coming up. My pediatrician wrote a short note on a prescription pad with the diagnosis and told me to bring that. Will testing help me know which is best to ask for? Can I just ask for testing? Do they do that during the school day? Sorry! So many questions.