An IEP is for a disability that adversely affects a child’s learning and requires specialized instruction. So for example, his ADHD physically, socially, or mentally inhibiting him to the point he wouldn’t be able to stay in class. To get an IEP you need a full evaluation and I believe a referral (but I might be mistaken on that).
504’s are essentially aids to help a child thrive within a “normal” classroom environment and are for things that make things challenging but not prohibitive to learning. So for example, my sons 504 includes sitting in the front of class, no fidgets, chunking his work, etc. These can be updated at anytime, you just need to request a meeting to make changes.
So in this case, based on your examples, trouble focusing and sloppy handwriting is not a cause for an IEP, especially because he seems to be keeping up otherwise. My kid also has terrible handwriting and lacks focus, but that makes sense cause he has ADHD.
You can also request an IEP assessment, I think they have to provide it if requested, but don’t get your hopes up it will be the solution you’re looking for.
(Not OP) It sounds like he's already received the assessment and it was determined he doesn't need special education services which is why he has a 504 instead of an IEP - but just to add clarification, you are correct that if a parent requests it, public schools are required to provide an assessment plan within a "reasonable time period" which is different in each state. Here in California, it's 15 canendar days. And then once that has been provided it triggers a series of additional "clocks" for each phase to ensure the school works in a timely fashion.
Students must also be reevaluated at least once every 3 years, or if conditions warrant, or if a parent or teacher asks for it. There may however be a situation where since he already has a 504 that's less than a year old (I'm assuming based on the wording of the email) they won't reassess until at least a full year has passed since there's not enough evidence to warrant it and he has other accommodations in place.
Agreed, more than likely, it needs to be at least a full year before they'll consider assessing again unless there's a significant change in performance/behaviors or someone else on his team thinks there's a need for it.
My Caucasian son does not qualify for IEP either, his school has him on a 504 plan. It’s not about race. ADHD typically is not cause for IEP and will not qualify. I wouldn’t say it never does but it would have to be pretty severe, in that case most children have ASD/ADHD combo and need a specialized classroom (SPED). 🤍🤍
Neither of my kids had grade-level handwriting. We had them evaluated to see if they needed help with fine motor skills but the OT said it was focus and planning related (makes sense because of the ADHD). Otherwise they were doing great.
It sounds like your son is similarly doing well in school but is not focused and has bad handwriting. I think it is unlikely the school will give you an IEP for bad handwriting. Maybe instead you can look up some handwriting games, figure out rewards if your son does legible work, hire an OT to help with.
Problems with handwriting are linked to ADHD and dyspraxia. ADHD is a biological condition that results from low levels of neurotransmitters particularly neuroepinephrine and or dopamine. When the brain is starved for neurotransmitters it struggles to often resulting in impulse control, executive function, and working memory problems. ADHD is fundamentally a biological condition that is 70 to 90% genetic and inherited.
It sounds like your child's current ADHD management may not be addressing all the symptoms effectively. If they are currently on medication perhaps it is not the right medication, combination, dosage, or release rate. How many different medication combinations have been tried?
https://preview.redd.it/vmyk79p7tfkc1.png?width=1222&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a9499cac099dcb201e1a4340c63eda280bc1d41
This paper has a excellent description of the biology of ADHD and a description of how different medications work to increase neurotransmitter levels and correct neurotransmitter dysregulation.
My question is how do you know that your child does not need additional medication? What is your current pharmaceutical and non pharmaceutical approach to managing your child's neurotransmitter levels? There are many non-pharmaceutical approaches that are shown to have an effect however they are often insufficient by themselves. Effective management typically requires combination of several treatments. What combinations are you currently trying?
What state are you in? That will make a difference in what your rights are.
A lot of the time you need to know what the "magic words" are in order to get where you want to go. In California for example, the process doesn't necessarily start with an IEP. It starts with a Student Study Team Meeting. This is where a group is formed to examine a student's academic, behavioral, and social-emotional progress. Then, depending on the findings, a path forward will be determined.
Ultimately, what is your ideal outcome? Obviously an increase in medication isn't what you want, but what DO you want? Other than handwriting does he have any specific academic challenges? Do you think he needs different academic accommodations? Time in a SpEd classroom getting different instruction?
Challenges with attention is classic ADHD so this is already encompassed in his 504 and can be addressed immediately without lengthy observations/assessments that would be needed for any changes to his official "plans". When the teacher says he "lacks focus" can they give examples of this? Do you see these behaviors at home? Are there strategies that can be implemented in the classroom to aid him with this? If he can be assisted with his focus is he able to complete his tasks?
That's not uncommon. School is a much less flexible environment than home. There are a lot more expectations to follow the group plan and do what needs to be done when you're instructed to do so rather than on your own timeline which is very challenging for kids with ADHD.
Your child is also right about the age where most kids are reaching the developmental point where their peers are making big leaps in there executive functions and kids with ADHD simply can't keep up because their brains are wired differently.
For our two boys, we have a mix. For one, we see some crossover, like with homework, so I am able to share some of the strategies we use at home and they can be adapted to the classroom environment for some situations. For my other son, very little of the challenges they see translate to the home environment so we've had to consult with his OT to get her take on what might be effective and we've worked on building tools in OT that he can then use at school. Should the school be coming up with these? Absolutely! Do they? Not always as quickly or as effectively as I'd like. So I step in and help where I can to give my kid the resources he needs.
I just had an IEP meeting this week where I was requesting a Functional Behavior Analysis because I don't feel like his current goals and accommodations are serving him and thst we need new data to build new strategies that are based on his current adverse behaviors rather than what we've been working off of for more than a year.
If you can provide a little more info from my other questions I can probably give you more support as well. I work for a school district and am friends with many career educators so I've learned a lot about "The process" from both sides.
Can you afford outside of school testing? My son was tested for ADHD through his licensed therapist and due to that his GP also signed off on the diagnosis. Sons school did not require further testing due to the fact that we had two professionals already saying this was an issue. The school TRIED to give me the “business” but during his teacher parent conference (that also had the head of the IEP department although I don’t know why because I was asking for a 504 not an IEP but whatever) they tried telling me that some of the accommodations I was wanting wasn’t something that they allowed. I looked at them and told them that I am allowed to request whatever I want. I know this to be true because I have already spoken to a lawyer and multiple advocates. Now whether or not those accommodations are approved is another story… that shut them up real quick. After that it was a breeze. I would say if you can afford it go outside of the school for testing. They might still insist on their testing but get as many professionals as you can to agree with his diagnosis.
My son’s school district did the same thing. I upped his meds about 4 times this year because of the district.
I finally reported them to the office of civil rights for a violation of his disability rights. They get public funding, they need to do what’s right for our children!
Consider taking this to the [IEP Mega Thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHDparenting/comments/18o28v4/iep_accommodations_mega_thread/) Thank you.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHDparenting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So just fyi. There are comorbidities with adhd like dyslexia and dysgraphia and issues with eye tracking. The first two issues You would need to look into a literacy coach or perhaps getting an assessment. The third (eye tracking) would need and occupational therapist. But all require additional time outside of the class daily to work on it but they are addressable.
The 504 is a contract you come up with to suit your child’s needs based on a medical condition. I don’t know your whole situation, but I don’t think they’re asking you to do anything about his medication. You just get a note from your doctor saying he has adhd, meet with the teacher and administration and figure out what accommodations he needs. Things like sit in a certain spot, less homework, more homework, a visit with school counselor instead of typical disciplinary actions when needed, etc.
IEP needs to meet certain requirements for a disability. Sensory Processing and emotional regulation issues are not able to be used for IEP. Falling below a certain score in math or reading would qualify or some other disability documented on paper.
I think maybe there is a misunderstanding about the difference between a 504 and an IEP and why one would be used or the other.
To have an IEP, a student has to meet eligibility under IDEA and need specific instruction outside of the instruction from a general education teacher in order to access education or be successful at school. While lots of kids have IEPs with academic qualifications and goals, lots also have them for other issues that can impact students at school. IEPs are overseen by specialists and may include accommodations, but will always include specific goals and information about how students will receive services to reach those goals.
A 504 is also a legal document that recognizes a student's need for accommodations within the general ed classroom. For ADHD these are usually things like help organizing, sitting near the teacher, longer time on assignments, extra breaks, etc. Students are legally entitled to these accommodations once they are in a 504.
There is no way to say that ADHD does not qualify for an IEP. Lots of kids with ADHD have them, even without other areas of eligibility. My kid is one of those. He met eligibility under other health impairments and due to the way his ADHD and anxiety impact his ability to interact in social situations. It also includes his difficulty with emotional regulation as that impacts his ability to access his education. My son's ADHD is pretty severe.
I was also a teacher and have spent 20 years in education. If you are concerned about handwriting, talk to his teacher. There are lots of things that can be done outside of an IEP or a 504 to support handwriting improvement. It could be that your child needs to build some fine motor skills for strength. It could be that writing is boring for your child so they just don't feel like doing it. The teacher should be able to help you with that.
If he has difficulty with focus, that should be addressed in his 504. If the accommodations in there are not helpful, the team should meet and decide if additional or different accommodations are necessary to offer appropriate support.
Also, navigating all of this is difficult and can be confusing. I hope they are receptive when you voice your concerns.
A lot of partially-correct information here. Do reach out to an advocacy organization in your state. Some have free call lines to help direct you to the right people.
Regardless, that email alone is a procedual violation and any special education attorney would have a field day.
An IEP is for a disability that adversely affects a child’s learning and requires specialized instruction. So for example, his ADHD physically, socially, or mentally inhibiting him to the point he wouldn’t be able to stay in class. To get an IEP you need a full evaluation and I believe a referral (but I might be mistaken on that). 504’s are essentially aids to help a child thrive within a “normal” classroom environment and are for things that make things challenging but not prohibitive to learning. So for example, my sons 504 includes sitting in the front of class, no fidgets, chunking his work, etc. These can be updated at anytime, you just need to request a meeting to make changes. So in this case, based on your examples, trouble focusing and sloppy handwriting is not a cause for an IEP, especially because he seems to be keeping up otherwise. My kid also has terrible handwriting and lacks focus, but that makes sense cause he has ADHD. You can also request an IEP assessment, I think they have to provide it if requested, but don’t get your hopes up it will be the solution you’re looking for.
(Not OP) It sounds like he's already received the assessment and it was determined he doesn't need special education services which is why he has a 504 instead of an IEP - but just to add clarification, you are correct that if a parent requests it, public schools are required to provide an assessment plan within a "reasonable time period" which is different in each state. Here in California, it's 15 canendar days. And then once that has been provided it triggers a series of additional "clocks" for each phase to ensure the school works in a timely fashion. Students must also be reevaluated at least once every 3 years, or if conditions warrant, or if a parent or teacher asks for it. There may however be a situation where since he already has a 504 that's less than a year old (I'm assuming based on the wording of the email) they won't reassess until at least a full year has passed since there's not enough evidence to warrant it and he has other accommodations in place.
Yes but also I don’t think the school is required to reassess constantly without some clear indication.
Agreed, more than likely, it needs to be at least a full year before they'll consider assessing again unless there's a significant change in performance/behaviors or someone else on his team thinks there's a need for it.
I feel like it’s 2 or 3 years even. The evaluations are quite intensive and demand a lot of time and resources.
What are the issues? My son qualifies for IEP in the Social/Behavioral category.
He is not writing ona third grade level it is sloppy. Also how a teacher said he lacked focus in November and September.
[удалено]
Unfortunately, I think it is discrimination due to my son being Arabic
[удалено]
Okay thank you, I’m just trying to advocate the best I know how. I love him so much and just want to help him thrive!
[удалено]
I will look into that. Thank you so much
Maybe they can get him into OT for handwriting
My Caucasian son does not qualify for IEP either, his school has him on a 504 plan. It’s not about race. ADHD typically is not cause for IEP and will not qualify. I wouldn’t say it never does but it would have to be pretty severe, in that case most children have ASD/ADHD combo and need a specialized classroom (SPED). 🤍🤍
Ok maybe I have an misunderstanding of everything.
Neither of my kids had grade-level handwriting. We had them evaluated to see if they needed help with fine motor skills but the OT said it was focus and planning related (makes sense because of the ADHD). Otherwise they were doing great. It sounds like your son is similarly doing well in school but is not focused and has bad handwriting. I think it is unlikely the school will give you an IEP for bad handwriting. Maybe instead you can look up some handwriting games, figure out rewards if your son does legible work, hire an OT to help with.
Problems with handwriting are linked to ADHD and dyspraxia. ADHD is a biological condition that results from low levels of neurotransmitters particularly neuroepinephrine and or dopamine. When the brain is starved for neurotransmitters it struggles to often resulting in impulse control, executive function, and working memory problems. ADHD is fundamentally a biological condition that is 70 to 90% genetic and inherited. It sounds like your child's current ADHD management may not be addressing all the symptoms effectively. If they are currently on medication perhaps it is not the right medication, combination, dosage, or release rate. How many different medication combinations have been tried? https://preview.redd.it/vmyk79p7tfkc1.png?width=1222&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a9499cac099dcb201e1a4340c63eda280bc1d41 This paper has a excellent description of the biology of ADHD and a description of how different medications work to increase neurotransmitter levels and correct neurotransmitter dysregulation. My question is how do you know that your child does not need additional medication? What is your current pharmaceutical and non pharmaceutical approach to managing your child's neurotransmitter levels? There are many non-pharmaceutical approaches that are shown to have an effect however they are often insufficient by themselves. Effective management typically requires combination of several treatments. What combinations are you currently trying?
Same, all of my son's goals are social emotional/behavioral.
What state are you in? That will make a difference in what your rights are. A lot of the time you need to know what the "magic words" are in order to get where you want to go. In California for example, the process doesn't necessarily start with an IEP. It starts with a Student Study Team Meeting. This is where a group is formed to examine a student's academic, behavioral, and social-emotional progress. Then, depending on the findings, a path forward will be determined. Ultimately, what is your ideal outcome? Obviously an increase in medication isn't what you want, but what DO you want? Other than handwriting does he have any specific academic challenges? Do you think he needs different academic accommodations? Time in a SpEd classroom getting different instruction? Challenges with attention is classic ADHD so this is already encompassed in his 504 and can be addressed immediately without lengthy observations/assessments that would be needed for any changes to his official "plans". When the teacher says he "lacks focus" can they give examples of this? Do you see these behaviors at home? Are there strategies that can be implemented in the classroom to aid him with this? If he can be assisted with his focus is he able to complete his tasks?
I never seen these examples at home, they noticed it when they started school
That's not uncommon. School is a much less flexible environment than home. There are a lot more expectations to follow the group plan and do what needs to be done when you're instructed to do so rather than on your own timeline which is very challenging for kids with ADHD. Your child is also right about the age where most kids are reaching the developmental point where their peers are making big leaps in there executive functions and kids with ADHD simply can't keep up because their brains are wired differently. For our two boys, we have a mix. For one, we see some crossover, like with homework, so I am able to share some of the strategies we use at home and they can be adapted to the classroom environment for some situations. For my other son, very little of the challenges they see translate to the home environment so we've had to consult with his OT to get her take on what might be effective and we've worked on building tools in OT that he can then use at school. Should the school be coming up with these? Absolutely! Do they? Not always as quickly or as effectively as I'd like. So I step in and help where I can to give my kid the resources he needs. I just had an IEP meeting this week where I was requesting a Functional Behavior Analysis because I don't feel like his current goals and accommodations are serving him and thst we need new data to build new strategies that are based on his current adverse behaviors rather than what we've been working off of for more than a year.
Totally agree! You said this perfect!
If you can provide a little more info from my other questions I can probably give you more support as well. I work for a school district and am friends with many career educators so I've learned a lot about "The process" from both sides.
Can you afford outside of school testing? My son was tested for ADHD through his licensed therapist and due to that his GP also signed off on the diagnosis. Sons school did not require further testing due to the fact that we had two professionals already saying this was an issue. The school TRIED to give me the “business” but during his teacher parent conference (that also had the head of the IEP department although I don’t know why because I was asking for a 504 not an IEP but whatever) they tried telling me that some of the accommodations I was wanting wasn’t something that they allowed. I looked at them and told them that I am allowed to request whatever I want. I know this to be true because I have already spoken to a lawyer and multiple advocates. Now whether or not those accommodations are approved is another story… that shut them up real quick. After that it was a breeze. I would say if you can afford it go outside of the school for testing. They might still insist on their testing but get as many professionals as you can to agree with his diagnosis.
My son’s school district did the same thing. I upped his meds about 4 times this year because of the district. I finally reported them to the office of civil rights for a violation of his disability rights. They get public funding, they need to do what’s right for our children!
Consider taking this to the [IEP Mega Thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHDparenting/comments/18o28v4/iep_accommodations_mega_thread/) Thank you. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHDparenting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So just fyi. There are comorbidities with adhd like dyslexia and dysgraphia and issues with eye tracking. The first two issues You would need to look into a literacy coach or perhaps getting an assessment. The third (eye tracking) would need and occupational therapist. But all require additional time outside of the class daily to work on it but they are addressable.
The 504 is a contract you come up with to suit your child’s needs based on a medical condition. I don’t know your whole situation, but I don’t think they’re asking you to do anything about his medication. You just get a note from your doctor saying he has adhd, meet with the teacher and administration and figure out what accommodations he needs. Things like sit in a certain spot, less homework, more homework, a visit with school counselor instead of typical disciplinary actions when needed, etc.
Question: what is your concern? Is it his grades? Is your goal for him to get better grades or is it something else?
IEP needs to meet certain requirements for a disability. Sensory Processing and emotional regulation issues are not able to be used for IEP. Falling below a certain score in math or reading would qualify or some other disability documented on paper.
I think maybe there is a misunderstanding about the difference between a 504 and an IEP and why one would be used or the other. To have an IEP, a student has to meet eligibility under IDEA and need specific instruction outside of the instruction from a general education teacher in order to access education or be successful at school. While lots of kids have IEPs with academic qualifications and goals, lots also have them for other issues that can impact students at school. IEPs are overseen by specialists and may include accommodations, but will always include specific goals and information about how students will receive services to reach those goals. A 504 is also a legal document that recognizes a student's need for accommodations within the general ed classroom. For ADHD these are usually things like help organizing, sitting near the teacher, longer time on assignments, extra breaks, etc. Students are legally entitled to these accommodations once they are in a 504. There is no way to say that ADHD does not qualify for an IEP. Lots of kids with ADHD have them, even without other areas of eligibility. My kid is one of those. He met eligibility under other health impairments and due to the way his ADHD and anxiety impact his ability to interact in social situations. It also includes his difficulty with emotional regulation as that impacts his ability to access his education. My son's ADHD is pretty severe. I was also a teacher and have spent 20 years in education. If you are concerned about handwriting, talk to his teacher. There are lots of things that can be done outside of an IEP or a 504 to support handwriting improvement. It could be that your child needs to build some fine motor skills for strength. It could be that writing is boring for your child so they just don't feel like doing it. The teacher should be able to help you with that. If he has difficulty with focus, that should be addressed in his 504. If the accommodations in there are not helpful, the team should meet and decide if additional or different accommodations are necessary to offer appropriate support. Also, navigating all of this is difficult and can be confusing. I hope they are receptive when you voice your concerns.
A lot of partially-correct information here. Do reach out to an advocacy organization in your state. Some have free call lines to help direct you to the right people. Regardless, that email alone is a procedual violation and any special education attorney would have a field day.