{"id":5299,"date":"2022-07-13T10:55:40","date_gmt":"2022-07-13T10:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/njcts.org\/tsparents\/?p=5299"},"modified":"2022-07-25T18:39:09","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T18:39:09","slug":"would-my-child-benefit-from-an-iep-or-a-504-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/njcts.org\/tsparents\/would-my-child-benefit-from-an-iep-or-a-504-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Would my child benefit from an IEP or a 504 Plan?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span>Estimated reading time: <\/span>7<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summer is here, but before you know it, it will be Labor Day. So, there\u2019s no time like the present to start planning for your child\u2019s next school year especially if your son or daughter has a diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome (TS) or the symptoms of TS.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Register for our webinar “Are IEPs and 504s on Your Back to School List”<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Skip to our list of helpful resources for parents<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is TS and how does it manifest itself?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is an inherited, neurological disorder characterized by repeated involuntary movements and uncontrollable vocal (phonic) sounds called tics. In a few cases, such tics can include inappropriate words and phrases. There is no specific test for TS. The American Psychiatric Association\u2019s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) provides guidelines so that health providers can best determine a diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about Tourette Syndrome here: https:\/\/njcts.org\/what-is-tourette-syndrome<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would your child benefit from help and accommodations in school?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Every person is unique and every person with TS has unique symptoms and manifestations of TS. Similar to an analysis of what medical or behavioral treatment plan to follow for TS, determining what is the best educational avenue for your child with TS, depends on individual needs and circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In creating a plan for your child, a collaborative team effort is the best approach. This requires honest and open discussion among the student, parent(s), educational partners and medical partners. Sharing of information and good communication are necessary for developing the best course of action for your child\u2019s productive and positive educational experience and being able to tweak or change it when necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On your part, good record keeping about your child\u2019s symptoms, triggers, and most successful methods for controlling tics can be extremely helpful in both diagnosis and educational planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the requirements for Section 504 and the IDEA for students with disabilities and how do the two plans differ?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All students in the United States have a right to a free public education and to an equal opportunity no matter their race, ethnicity, religion, sex or whether they are citizens or non-citizens. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), students with disabilities that adversely affects their learning and requires special education are entitled to assistance through an Individualized Education Program IEP). https:\/\/sites.ed.gov\/idea\/about-idea\/#IDEA-Purpose<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A diagnosis for one of the qualifying conditions is necessary and the underlying condition must rise to the level of requiring special education in order to be eligible for an IEP. In our last blog entry, we discussed what factors are considered by medical professionals in determining whether a person has TS and whether the symptoms constitute a disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the IDEA, a school district, with the involvement of the student\u2019s parents, is required to develop an IEP for each eligible student with a disability. The IEP must set out, in detail, the student\u2019s program of special education and related services- in other words, a roadmap specifically for that student to provide special education and other services in a way suitable to that student and their disability. An IEP is highly individualized, with personally tailored goals and milestones. It contains a minimum set of components, or parts, that convey key information about your child and details about when and how the plan will be implemented. You can familiarize yourself with the eight key components of an IEP here. https:\/\/www.verywellfamily.com\/essential-parts-of-an-individual-education-program-2162702<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not every student with a disability requires special education but may still qualify for supports and accommodations through Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) Section 504 is a civil rights law that bans disability discrimination and entitles eligible students with disabilities to a free appropriate public education. To be eligible for Section 504, a student must have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits them in a major life activity such as learning, breathing, attending, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, behavior, working or caring for self. In deciding whether the student is substantially limited in a major life activity, a team of persons with knowledge must consider the impact of the disability upon the student without any mitigating measures such as medication, assistive technology, prosthetics, hearing aids, reasonable accommodations provided to the student or learned behavior. A student may be eligible for Section 504 services in school even when the major life activity of learning is not impacted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 504 Plan must provide aids and services that are designed \u201cto meet the individual educational needs of students with disabilities as adequately as the needs of non-disabled students are met and are based on adherence to procedures governing educational setting, evaluation and placement, and procedural safeguards.\u201d See: https:\/\/www2.ed.gov\/about\/offices\/list\/ocr\/docs\/504-resource-guide-201612.pdf<\/a>. A 504 Plan is a blueprint for how the school will support a student with a disability and remove barriers to learning. The goal is to give the student equal access at school. https:\/\/www.understood.org\/en\/articles\/what-is-a-504-plan?_sp=0910384e-852b-49dc-b3b5-2205e695a7b6.1656096477400<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples of accommodations in 504 plans include but are not limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n