IEP v. 504

[Puddy73]

DS will be entering Kindergarten this August and will be placed in a classroom with a part-time special ed teacher. He has an IEP for SPD, ADD and PDD-NOS/possible Aspergers. A teacher friend of mine suggested that 504 plans are better for mild disabilities because they avoid the "special ed" label on the student's record and are less stigmatizing. DS has done well in pre-K at a Montessori school this year, but his teacher is a certified special ed teacher and is wonderful with him. I think that most of the suggestions in his IEP could be implemented under a 504 plan in a regular classroom but it would really require a low-key teacher who was willing to accommodate some of his quirks. I do think that an IEP is probably better for him at least for now, but I wonder if it might be better to switch to a 504 plan as soon as possible. Has anyone had experience with this?

[DebbieJ]

IEP plans carry a lot more weight and are more easily "enforced" so I would just stick with it for now.

[Gena]

If yoru child needs services, (such as speech therapy or OT), specialized instruction, or modifications to the cirriculum, he will need to have an IEP, since these things are not included in a 504 plan. IEPs also include measurable goals and a documented method to monitor progress.

The child and the parent(s) have more rights under an IEP, including procedural safegaurds, the right to "stay put" during school/parent disputes, the right to a Behavioral Intervention Plan, certain protections for a student facing suspension, and parent participation in educational planning.

I don't see how an IEP would be stigmatizing at the Kindergaten level.

[crl]

I would keep an IEP for as long as possible as they provide services, goals, etc and more protections for the student. And, honestly, I'd be peeved at a teacher who suggested a special education label is stigmatizing.

Catherine

[zag95]

If yoru child needs services, (such as speech therapy or OT), specialized instruction, or modifications to the cirriculum, he will need to have an IEP, since these things are not included in a 504 plan. IEPs also include measurable goals and a documented method to monitor progress.

The child and the parent(s) have more rights under an IEP, including procedural safegaurds, the right to "stay put" during school/parent disputes, the right to a Behavioral Intervention Plan, certain protections for a student facing suspension, and parent participation in educational planning.

I don't see how an IEP would be stigmatizing at the Kindergaten level.

[ett]

I agree with PP's that you should stick with the IEP plan. I am a little disappointed to hear that a teacher would consider being labeled as special ed. to be stigmatizing.

[mytwosons]

Agreeing with what others have said about an IEP vs 504. Since my DS1 is older, I wanted to add that IME an IEP is not stigmatizing. It's pretty impossible to know if a child has one, at least at our school.

[Puddy73]

Thanks for the insight, ladies! I was a bit surprised when she mentioned the "stigma" of an IEP but when I Googled the same question it was sometimes mentioned as a reason to avoid an IEP. Very sad.

[elliput]

I would keep an IEP for as long as possible as they provide services, goals, etc and more protections for the student. And, honestly, I'd be peeved at a teacher who suggested a special education label is stigmatizing.

When we had DD's initial IEP meeting, we were asked if we were sure we wanted to have "Autism" as the reason for the IEP. Since that is DD's official diagnosis, both DH and I said "Of course, that is what it is." We did not want to short change what our DD is entitled to by law.